Everybody Finds Out
by CrimsonShepard
Summary: Truths are exposed when the parties hiding the truth least expect them to be revealed. And to think, it all started on a Saturday morning at NCIS headquarters...Jibbs. AU.
1. Chapter 1

The NCIS team reported to headquarters in the Washington Navy Yard on a Saturday at 0800. No one was thrilled to be coming into work. There was no case to investigate; there was only paper work to catch up on. Director Jennifer Shepard strongly insisted that the team of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs come in and finish the work. Out of all the teams in D.C., agents Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva David, and Timothy McGee were the most behind on turning in case reports to her. With the number of cases taken by their team, there was little choice in not getting behind on paperwork. Still, DiNozzo complained in the elevator.

"Have you seen it out there? It's perfect! I was going to play football with the guys."

McGee rolled his eyes but didn't speak. He had planned on spending the whole day cooped up in his apartment and writing.

Ziva David turned and stared her partner up and down. "I do not understand why it is called football. You do not play with your feet," she said, turning back to face the elevator doors.

DiNozzo mumbled silently and made a face at her like a five year old. He didn't feel like explaining American sports to Ziva; it was too early. He rubbed his face and yawned. "Maybe boss got coffee."

"The boss always has coffee," McGee spoke.

"I meant maybe the boss got coffee for us too, Probie," Tony spoke to him annoyed.

McGee shrugged his shoulders and felt relieved when the elevator doors opened. He allowed Ziva to exit the elevator first and let Tony be the last one to exit. "Morning, boss," he said to Gibbs. Gibbs didn't speak. The older man and team leader continued to peck at his keyboard as he worked on a case report.

"Morning, Gibbs," Ziva said to him after she put her stuff on her desk.

After being greeted by all three agents, he told them good morning and didn't take his eyes from the computer screen. He didn't need the Director on his ass about case reports for a second time.

DiNozzo threw his backpack onto his chair and grumbled when it fell off. Today had the possibility of being a bad one. "Perfect. Hey boss, did you…?" he questioned, turning around to see three cups of coffee in a carry out tray. "You're the best, boss." DiNozzo quickly walked over and took a cup of coffee. "Are we the only ones here?"

"No, DiNozzo. You don't see everyone else sitting at their desks?" Gibbs asked sarcastically, turning his chair to face the agent and to stare at him.

"Stupid question, boss…won't happen again. I don't understand why we have to be here on a Saturday. I bet the Director isn't even here," he muttered but saw the look on Gibbs' face. "I'll stop talking and go over to my desk…and I won't speak again until I'm finished with my paper work, and my fingers are bleeding from typing."

No one spoke as they diligently worked on their stacks of paperwork. A half hour later, Director Shepard emerged from her office and smiled to herself when she saw the team in the squad room. She walked down the stairs and rounded the corner. "I hope we'll never have to do this again on a Saturday."

The team greeted her, not looking away from their computer screens. The redhead was an intimidating presence especially when in Director mode. She walked over to Gibbs' desk and stood in front of it, waiting for him to look up from his work. "Jethro, would you like to get coffee?" she asked him quietly.

He turned to her and smiled at her, staring into her green eyes. "Yeah," he said, getting up. "I'll be back," he told the team and left with her.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, DiNozzo broke his attention from his work. "What do you think about those two?" All of the team knew Gibbs and Director Shepard had been partners years ago.

Ziva looked over her computer screen at him. "There's a history there. To me, it still could be alive." She had previously worked with Director Shepard in Eastern Europe and had heard a few stories about Gibbs especially if the two had unwound with a bottle after a long day. DiNozzo had a gut feeling she knew more than she ever let on.

On the sidewalk, Gibbs slipped his arm around the redhead's waist, pulling her closer to him. She smiled softly at him, and the two walked in silence. The history was most definitely still alive and hadn't ever stopped. They had been partners, in and out of NCIS. Only a select few knew they were married and had been for over twenty years. To keep the marriage off the radar, Jenny used her maiden name and maintained her home in Georgetown. Gibbs kept his home but mostly to work on his boats. It was also a safe haven for when the couple had fights. The marriage had been kept a secret for protection and career reasons. With their jobs and the situations they found themselves in, it was much safer not to be married. Plus, Jenny's career intentions had always been made clear. A married woman had been viewed much differently in the workforce than an unmarried one.

"Jethro, I'm sorry for making the team come in on Saturday," she told him near the local coffee shop he favored.

"Jen, you don't have to explain. You are the Director and have to exert your power especially with my team."

She barely rolled her eyes at him. She was grateful for the stability of being Director of NCIS. All her years of being on the fast track had served her well. The job allowed her to remain in place except for the occasional trips out of the country. Furthermore, she was more proud of her accomplishment of being the first female director of an armed federal agency. Through the years, she had made numerous sacrifices especially involving her relationship with Jethro. She didn't know how he had stood by her, but he had. When he said till death do us part, he had meant the words.

"As long as you understand."

He opened the door for her and followed her inside the shop. He ordered two cups of coffee for them and waited with her. The girl behind the counter knew not to let Agent Gibbs wait long for his coffee, Jamaican blend with no frills. Unfortunately, the coffee shop was packed with a line for pick ups.

"Agent Gibbs, I'm sorry. It's going to take longer than usual," the young girl explained to him.

Jen looked at her, a sympathetic look coming over her face as she remembered her summer jobs when she was a teenager. She thought the girl couldn't be any more than sixteen years old. "It's fine. We'll wait. We don't mind. Right, Agent Gibbs?"

Jethro nodded his head. "I can wait."

Jen smirked at him, knowing he'd have no choice. She sat down at a corner table and watched him sit down in front of her. "I was thinking," she began.

His eyes wandered to the side, and he folded his arms across his chest. "Here it comes," he said under his breath.

She gently kicked him under the table. "I hate that, Jethro."

He chuckled to himself. "That's why I do it." One of his favorite pastimes was to get under her skin in any way he could.

She shook her head at him, not taking the bait for playful bickering. "I was thinking that you could sell your house. The profits would be helpful considering," she stopped as she noticed the look on his face.

"No."

"Jethro…"

"I'll think about it."

She nodded her head, understanding that's all she would get from him on the matter. In a few minutes, the coffee was ready, and the couple was walking out the door. In the elevator, they shared a kiss and parted ways once the doors opened. Unfortunately, the break was over for the team. They had taken advantage of their boss being out of the office. Gibbs noticed the obscene amount of paper balls around McGee.

"DiNozzo!" he shouted.

DiNozzo didn't have to be told. He knew well enough to know, but knowing never stopped him from goofing off. "I'll pick it up, boss."

The team worked quietly with some bickering which evolved into constant bickering. The squabbling came from Tony and Ziva. She murdered the English language, and he always had to correct her. After 1030, Gibbs had decided he needed a break before he witnessed a murder or committed a murder. Fifteen minutes after Gibbs left, the elevator doors opened. The team stopped goofing off thinking it was the boss returning. Instead, the person was a redhead that stood in front of DiNozzo's desk and waited for him to look up. He glanced up and smiled at her. To him, she appeared to be in her early twenties, had long layered hair with side swept bangs, and not to mention the prettiest blue green eyes he'd seen in years. He noticed the visitor's pass around her neck and also noticed how toned her body was as he took in the sight of her arms and thighs through the dark rinse jeans and black tank top she was wearing. To his expert eyes, he estimated she was 5'5" and 110 pounds. There was one problem in her appearance...her left arm was in a cast and sling.

"Hi. I'm Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. How may I help you?" He introduced himself and offered assistance, lathering on the Italian charm.

"Where is Director Shepard's office?" She asked politely, looking around the squad room.

"The Director?"

"Yes, that is who I asked about. Do you have a hearing problem, Agent DiNozzo?"

Ziva stifled a snicker while McGee pushed his chair out from his desk and walked over. The tone of her voice reminded Ziva of someone that she could not place at the moment. "The Director's office is up those stairs and to the right. Go in and ask her secretary if you may see her," he told the girl with a smile on his face.

"Thanks," she said, returning the smile. All three of the agents watched the young woman walk up the stairs and out of sight as she entered the office. Not one of them had ever seen her before and were curious as to who she was exactly.


	2. Chapter 2

In the office, the young redhead noticed the closed door and the secretary at her desk. She adjusted her arm in the sling with a grimace before walking over to the secretary's desk. She hoped there wouldn't be one more person to go through to see Director Shepard. The secretary, Cynthia, had watched her ever since the door opened.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"I need to see Director Shepard. Tell her Lizzie's here, please."

Cynthia stared at the girl for a moment, but something told her she was not a threat to her superior. She buzzed into the Director's office. "Director, there's a young lady here to see you. She said her name is Lizzie."

The assistant waited to hear the typical 'Send her in, Cynthia' but didn't. Instead, the Director's door opened, and she came out. "Lizzie!" She yelled with surprise and excitement. She took in the girl's appearance and immediately noticed the sling. "Honey, what happened?" she asked, walking over to her.

"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt much at all," Lizzie responded while Cynthia watched with keen curiosity.

Jen shook her head and turned to her loyal secretary. "Cynthia, forgive me. This is my daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Cynthia." She made the introductions and watched them shake hands. Cynthia attempted to not appear too shocked.

"Call me Lizzie, please."

"It's wonderful to meet you," the secretary managed to speak. She had no idea the Director of NCIS had a child, and she had been her assistant for three years now. Cynthia had been her secretary in her previous position and had come with Jenny when she became Director. Her boss's best kept secret was beautiful.

"C'mon," Jen put her arm around her daughter's shoulder carefully and led her into her office. Once the door closed, she pulled a chair out for Lizzie and sat down on her desk, standing in front of her daughter. "What happened? Why didn't you call me?"

Lizzie sighed, knowing her mother would mildly overreact. "I went riding, and the horse spooked. I was thrown off. I didn't call because I can take care of myself. Besides, that agent you had keeping an eye on me drove me to the hospital in my car, so you should probably send two agents back to get the NCIS vehicle. My shoulder's bruised, and wrist is broken."

Jen couldn't help but laugh. She had raised a self sufficient, independent, and beautiful twenty-year-old. "I'm glad it wasn't more serious," she said softly, moving to her hug daughter gently and place a kiss atop her head. She pulled away and stroked Lizzie's hair away from her eyes. "Where's your sister?" Lizzie had a fraternal twin sister, Katharine but Katie to friends and family. The girls had an interesting life that consisted of boarding schools, traveling back and forth from the States and Europe, and spending as much time with their parents as possible. They had moved back into the states once both parents were in Washington, and their mother had finally reached her destination after years of being on the fast track. Before starting their senior years at Georgetown, the twins were enjoying their summer.

She shrugged her shoulders but winced. She had refused being given any medication while in the emergency room. "I think she went to see Ducky. I never thought she was going to answer her phone, so I could tell her to come and get me." Katie was not an early riser and adored sleeping in.

Jen nodded her head and sat down at her desk, buzzing Cynthia. "Cynthia, call Agent Nelson and send another agent with him to pick up one of our vehicles at Wheaton Park Stables. Thank you." She had a feeling the agent would sound annoyed when Cynthia spoke to him.

Lizzie waited for her mother to stop talking while she surveyed the office. She hadn't ever been to NCIS before much less inside her mother's office. "And where's daddy?"

"If he wasn't in the squad room, take a wild guess."

"Coffee," she answered. Mother and daughter shared a laugh until the older redhead turned serious.

"Lizzie, did you tell any of the agents downstairs who you are?"

"I didn't tell them you're my mother."

Jenny nodded her head and let out a sigh of relief.

"I told them you were my sister," Lizzie added with a smirk.

"Elizabeth." Jen hated that her daughters had inherited their father's smirk and knack for answering with smart ass comments.

"They have no idea who I am, mom. DiNozzo was the most surprised when I asked where Director Shepard's office was."

Jen laughed softly. She imagined the agents especially DiNozzo trying to figure out who Elizabeth was instead of doing their paperwork.

Meanwhile, Gibbs had returned to the squad room with a fresh cup of coffee. He heard all three team members talking as he exited the elevator and approached the desks.

"I'm going to get her phone number," DiNozzo said with his typical confidence.

Ziva laughed. "I think McGee would have a better chance."

DiNozzo made a face in disgust mixed with disbelief while McGee picked his head up from the keyboard. "Really?" He hadn't thought of the unknown redhead as a prospect, but he didn't deny she was attractive.

Gibbs stopped in the middle of the desks and looked at them. "What in the hell are the three of you talking about and why is no one working?"

"A girl came in while you were gone. She had a visitor's pass and wanted to see the Director. I plan on getting her number, but Ziva thinks McGee has a better chance…which is insane, boss. C'mon, it's McZero. I'll get her number before he does."

"A girl?" Gibbs asked, eyebrows rising in curiosity. He prayed it wasn't Lizzie or Katie. If it was either of the two, that meant something had happened. It had to be one of them. Who else would come to NCIS on a Saturday morning wanting to see Jenny?

"Yeah…looked like she was in her early twenties…redhead…long hair...shoulder length with bangs…really hot…smokin' body, boss. You should have seen her."

Gibbs stared at DiNozzo for a minute as he went on to describe the girl in even more detail. Lizzie had been the one to come into the squad room. He would kill DiNozzo later for thinking his twenty year old daughter was hot and wanting her phone number. He heard a door close from above and glanced up, seeing Jen. She motioned for him to come to her. "Get back to work," he ordered to his team before jogging up the stairs.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Lizzie. She's in my office. She's not hurt too badly, Jethro."

"What the hell happened, Jen?"

She took notice of the agents watching them and motioned for him to follow her into the safety of her office. Cynthia didn't say a word when she saw Agent Gibbs come in with Director Shepard. It wasn't too hard to put together who Lizzie's father was now.

Jethro entered the office and saw Lizzie sitting in her mother's desk chair. She finished sending a text message and glanced at him. "Hey daddy," she greeted him with a tiny smile.

"Lizzie, what the hell happened to you?" He walked over and gently touched the cast on her arm, running his fingers over the pink tape. He shook his head as he thought about how many complaints would come from Lizzie during the next six weeks.

"Admiral spooked and threw me off. Wrist is broken and shoulder's bruised. Daddy, I'm fine…really."

He sighed, shaking his head and hugging his daughter to him. He had been overprotective the minute his girls had come out of the womb. He let out a sigh of relief into Lizzie's auburn hair. "Did you get back on?"

Lizzie grinned up at him. "Of course, I did. Agent Pain in the Ass didn't think I should though."

"That's my girl. Agent Pain in the Ass?" He questioned, trying to not laugh.

Elizabeth looked at her mother, and Jethro looked over his shoulder. Jenny sighed. "That agent is there for your protection, Lizzie. His name is Agent Nelson…not Agent Pain in the Ass."

"Daddy," Lizzie started, trying to get her father onto her side. She hated the protection detail as did Katie. Katie loved seeing if she could lose the detail, and she usually did. It was one of her favorite activities especially if driving.

He shook his head. "Nope. Your mother's right. You need protection as much as she does. You'll have to deal with Agent Pain in-"

"Jethro!"

Jethro could feel his wife's glare burning through the back of him. He cleared his throat. "Agent Nelson," he corrected.

Jen shook her head at her husband and gave Elizabeth a look that told her there would be no more discussion about the protection detail. She stood up from her spot on the conference desk. "C'mon, you two." Lizzie and Jethro followed her out of the office and down the stairs. Ziva glanced up from her work and realized why the tone of the girl's voice had sounded familiar. Jen noticed her friend watching and nodded her head. A small smile graced Ziva's features. DiNozzo swiveled his chair around and watched his boss and Director with the young woman. His eyes slowly began to widen. It couldn't be…

Gibbs took Lizzie by her good arm and walked to the middle of the squad room. "This is Elizabeth, my daughter."

McGee, Ziva, and DiNozzo passed shocked glances to one another before looking to Director Shepard who nodded her head to confirm their questioning looks. "I am her mother," she explained gently. Each agent still had numerous questions.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said harshly. "You won't be getting her number."

Tony swallowed hard, fearful of his life. He had described his boss's daughter as really hot and with a smokin' body. He might not recover from the head slap. The senior agent looked sheepish and went back to his computer screen. Lizzie introduced herself to McGee and Ziva and saved DiNozzo for last. "You're really cute."

He looked up and broke a smile. Maybe he still had a chance. "Thanks."

"Thinking you would actually get my number."

He frowned while his partners openly laughed. Gibbs and Jen exchanged silent, amused glances at each other. He cleared his throat and looked at Elizabeth. "Nice to meet you. Boss, anything else we need to know?"

"Yeah, DiNozzo. Don't hit on her sister. Katie's a better shot than Lizzie."

"Daddy!"

"It's true. You can't help that your mother taught you how to shoot."

"Jethro!" came Jen's voice from beside DiNozzo's cubicle.

He laughed at his joke although two people didn't find it funny and the other three in the room were in shock for a second time. There were definitely a lot of questions. Gibbs had two daughters? With the Director? Were they married? Why hadn't he told the team? If they hadn't come in on a Saturday, would they have ever found out? Would they see the other sister? The only question with an answer was that the history between Gibbs and Shepard was still alive.


	3. Chapter 3

As questions and thoughts were spilling into all of the agents' heads, the elevator doors opened and would answer one inquiry. Katie emerged with Dr. Donald Mallard on her arm. Gibbs smiled at his oldest. She nodded her head, listening to one of Ducky's fascinating stories. He used to send cassette tapes of his stories to the girls. It was how they fell asleep at night for years.

"Duck, I've heard this one before," Katie told him. "Ten times before."

The doctor feigned a hurt expression but knew she most likely had heard the story before. He was unsure if she had heard it ten times however. "Katie, my dear…you are too much like your father."

She laughed softly and patted him on the shoulder. "That's what they tell me, but you'll get over it, Duck," she finished, placing a light kiss on his cheek.

Jen shook her head softly and silently agreed with Ducky. If Lizzie had been on his arm, she would have listened to the story without ever letting on she had heard it before. The girls were similar but could be like night and day. To both her parents, Lizzie was like an egg...tough shell on the outside but soft on the inside once the shell was broken. Katie was the same way except she had always been tougher to break and kept things to herself at times. Both were guilty of keeping secrets just like their parents. In appearance, Katie's hair was longer almost to the middle of her back with blonde highlights throughout. Her eyes seemed to be more solidly green than Lizzie's mix of green and blue. She also spied DiNozzo at his desk and gave him a flirtatious smile until her father cleared his throat. The action was a strong warning to her, and she stared at him as he sat on the front of his desk.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"Autopsy. Ducky gave me a tour over a cup of Earl Gray."

"You know how to show a girl a good time, dontcha Duck?" Gibbs asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Ducky chuckled and gave a short nod. "Yes, Jethro. You should learn from me."

Katie smirked and walked around her father's desk, making Lizzie scoot over who was sitting in the desk chair. Lizzie made room for her, and the two began talking quietly. The fact Ziva, McGee, and DiNozzo were watching them didn't bother the sisters.

"Who's who?" Katie whispered.

"That's Ziva," Lizzie said, pointing inconspicuously with the arm in the sling to her.

"She saved mom's life in…"

"Yes," Lizzie cut her off. Lizzie didn't care to think about the times her mother's life had been in danger or anyone having to save her from death. She felt the same way about her father which is why Jen hadn't told her girls about their father being in an explosion until he was out of the hospital and recovering. "Over there is McGee, and that's DiNozzo."

Katie nodded her head and sized up her father's team. She watched Ziva play with a pocketknife and knew she had been a trained killer because of her body language and handling of the weapon. She also thought of her father's rules. She heard Lizzie whisper, "Number 9…never go anywhere without a knife." She shared a look of amusement with her sister. One look at McGee told her he was a computer genius and definitely was not a trained killer. She almost laughed watching DiNozzo lean back in his chair and stretch. At first appearance, he seemed lazy and appeared as if he had nothing to offer the team. Katie watched him intently until she figured out he had the most experience of the team and street smarts. She didn't notice when Lizzie left the chair and walked over to their mother.

"What?" Jen asked, looking at her.

Lizzie said nothing and rested her head against her mother's shoulder. In response, Jen slipped her arm around her daughter's waist and kissed her forehead. She felt grateful that no matter how old they got they still wanted her comfort when hurt or sick especially Lizzie. "Want to go home?"

"You have work."

"Your father has more work than I do. I'll call it a day and go home to take care of you."

McGee watched the scene and smiled to himself. He had never imagined the Director being motherly or had thought of her as a mother. His view of her was changing rapidly. He wasn't taken aback by Ducky's interaction with the girls. Ducky was a dear old friend to both Gibbs and Director Shepard. Of course, Ducky would know about them. Little did McGee know, Ducky had been the one to inform Jenny she was expecting all those years ago. Ziva was having a conversation with Katie about knives. Jen hoped Ziva wouldn't tell her daughter anything she didn't already know. She switched her attention to DiNozzo who had been surprisingly quiet since Katie had come into the squad room. She knew his mind was racing with questions. After all, he was the senior field agent and had assumed he knew Gibbs the best.

"Tony?"

"Ma'am?" came his automatic response. He saved his case report and looked at her.

"I need a favor."

"Okay."

"An agent took Lizzie to the hospital in her car. It's here now, and she wants to go home. I'm going to call it a day and take her there. Could you make sure her car gets home safely?" she asked nicely, hoping he would agree. Lizzie would rather drive her car off a cliff than have Katie drive it home.

DiNozzo nodded his head. "No problem. How am I going to get home?"

"Tony, I'm sure McGee could follow you to our house and bring you back here to get your car."

"Right…didn't think about that. Hey McProbius!" He turned in his desk chair to face McGee and asked him. McGee agreed, and he turned back around to the Director and Lizzie. "Keys?"

Jen looked at her daughter and squeezed her hand before walking over to update Jethro. Lizzie fished her keys out of her pocket and dropped them into his outstretched hand. DiNozzo examined the key chain. The key fob was fuchsia and in black were Lizzie's initials, A. E. G., which struck his curiosity. He knew what the E and G stood for but not the A.

"What's the A for?" he asked.

"Avril."

"That's pretty."

"Thanks. Mom chose my name, and Daddy chose Katie's," she told him, not realizing that he loved hearing bits of information pertaining to his boss and personal life.

DiNozzo nodded his head. His eyes widened when he saw a key chain on the fob. "Wait…you drive a Mustang?" Jenny listened to bits of the conversation as she passed by them on the way to her office to get her things and take the girls home. She tried not to seem too amused by DiNozzo discovering what vehicle her daughter drove.

Lizzie nodded her head. "I do. It was given to me as an early graduation present."

"Color?"

"Black. I know what your next question will be. It is a GT," she told him with a signature smug smirk.

Tony looked at her, surprised. "That was my next question. I drive a Mustang. It's a 66 though and green. I restored it. Just put carpet in from a 2004."

"Oh god…really? I'd love to restore an old Mustang with Daddy, but he always is working on that damn boat."

Tony laughed as did Lizzie. She smiled at him and tucked her hair behind her ear. "It was nice to meet you today, Tony." She must have suffered head trauma because she was beginning to actually find him cute.

"It was nice to meet you too, Lizzie," he returned with a smile. What was he doing? He knew he was flirting and shouldn't be flirting with her…but Lizzie had started it.

Tony cleared his throat and went back to working when Gibbs walked over to his desk. "I'll be home as soon as I can. I have to stay here and supervise the team."

"I understand," she said to her father.

Gibbs kissed her cheek. "If you need anything, call me."

Elizabeth nodded her head. "Okay."

Jen came to stand next to them. She put her red trench coat around Lizzie's shoulders. "I'll see you at home, Jethro. Cynthia is staying until 1200. Turn the case reports into her and dismiss the team at that time."

He nodded his head and looked at his team. "Get to work. Case reports to Cynthia at 1200."

McGee looked up. "Then can we go?"

"Yeah, McGee."

McGee nodded his head and went back to typing. Jen looked over at Katie. She was using her father's computer. "Katie, c'mon…or are you staying?"

"When there's so much action happening at NCIS," she said sarcastically as she signed out of her email. "Daddy, you have 88 unread emails by the way," she told him as she got up and walked to her sister and mother. He merely rolled his eyes while Jen smirked. She knew he never checked his email. He walked his girls to the elevator.

"I'll bring lunch home." He leaned into the elevator, giving his wife a kiss. As he pulled away, he shouted, "DiNozzo!" The agent quickly sat back down in his chair but missed, landing on the floor. He had been craning his neck to see the kiss between Gibbs and Shepard.

Jenny laughed, shaking her head. "Bye Jethro." The elevator doors closed, and Gibbs walked back to the squad room, giving the senior field agent a sharp smack to the back of the head. DiNozzo grimaced, swearing to himself that he would have cranial damage. Gibbs sent another head smack to DiNozzo.

"Boss, I think my brain detached on that last one," he reported as he rubbed the back of his throbbing skull.

Gibbs turned and narrowed his blue eyes at the agent. "Good," he replied, sitting down in his chair. "Back to work!"

At home, Jenny unlocked the door and stepped inside with the girls following behind her. She placed her bags in the study and walked back out. Katie handed her mother a plastic bag and bottle of water. "Lizzie's pain medication that she hasn't taken. She went upstairs."

Jen took the bag and nodded her head, walking up the stairs. She pushed the door to Lizzie's room open and smiled, thankful her daughter would be making use of the room for more than a weekend visit. "Need help?" she asked, seeing the difficulty Lizzie was having removing her riding boots.

"No, I can…ow," Lizzie responded as she tried to use her left arm.

Her mother walked to her, shaking her head and kneeling down to remove the boots after placing the bag and water bottle on the nightstand. "Lizzie, apologizing is a sign of weakness…asking for help is not."

"Basically, you're telling me to shut up and let you mother me?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, I am." Jen placed the boots in the walk in closet. Lizzie read the instructions for the medication and popped a pill, swallowing it with a drink of water.

"Mom?"

Jen turned around and looked at her, waiting for the question. She assumed what it would be by the way Lizzie was fiddling with the sling.

"Can I take this off?"

"Go ahead. Be careful of how you sleep, and the medication is going to knock you out. You might want to change your clothes. If you're anything like me, you don't want to sleep in jeans."

Lizzie sighed with relief and removed the sling from her injured arm. She shimmied out of her jeans while her mother took a pair of shorts out of the dresser. She reached behind her back and unhooked her bra then changed into the shorts that had been thrown on the bed. She settled under the covers and noticed her eyelids beginning to feel heavy.

"I told you," Jen said gently, tucking her daughter in and kissing her forehead. "Sleep. I'll come in and check on you in a little while."

Lizzie nodded her head and closed her eyes, drifting off into medicated sleep. Jen turned off the lights and closed the door. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen where Katie was making coffee. "You are a mind reader."

"Not really," Katie replied. "The pot of coffee daddy made this morning was old and tasted awful." She made a face and poured out the cup.

Jen laughed at her oldest daughter. "It was made at 0500."

"Did you wake up that early?" she asked, sitting down next to her mother and waiting for the coffee to finish making.

"No…0530."

"Mom…in case you didn't realize…today is Saturday which means a person is supposed to not wake up at an ungodly hour especially if she wakes up at that time or earlier during the week."

"Katie, one day you will realize that work comes home with you especially if you are the first female Director of a federal agency. Also, you'll learn that not everyone can schedule their schedule to where they don't have to wake up until after noon."

"You know, work comes home with you anyway," she said in reference to her father. "There's nothing wrong with sleeping until noon or later." Katie was not a morning person and had never taken a college course before 1PM.

"It will not. Your father and I made a deal."

"Oh," she spoke, raising her eyebrows with interest. "What's the deal?" She removed two cups from the cabinet and poured coffee into them, giving one to her mother. Katie needed at least cream and two sugars in her coffee.

"We will not discuss cases or bring any work related problems home. It will remain in the office from now on." The two of them were going to need counseling or a divorce if they kept bringing the frustrations and fights from work home with them. Jethro wouldn't ever learn to not ruffle another agency's feathers. It had been much easier being his partner than his boss.

"Did you write this down and make him sign in blood?"

"Katie," Jen said her name in the tone informing her daughter she thought she sounded absurd for asking that question.

Katie turned, leaning against the countertop and taking a sip of her coffee. She shrugged her shoulders. "What? It's a simple question."

"I did not."

Katie rolled her eyes, knowing the deal wouldn't withstand. "I give it three days."

"You should have more faith in your father and me."

"If I didn't have faith, I wouldn't be giving it three days," she said, voice straight to the point.

"Katharine Reese," Jen said her name, walking over and refilling her cup. "I don't know what to do with you at times."

"But you love me."

"I know. You don't have to remind me," Jen answered with a wink, leaving the kitchen to go into the study to finish work. She had to read the case reports turned into her before Lizzie had arrived at NCIS. When Jethro returned home with lunch, neither one of them planned on working until Monday morning. They were going to spend much needed time with their girls.


	4. Chapter 4

On Monday morning, Abby Sciuto bolted into the squad room after receiving an instant message from McGee. He had been expecting to receive an instant message back instead of seeing a black blur appear in front of him. "McGee, it's not April Fool's. It's June! I do not appreciate a seriously delayed prank. Who does that? I mean…who, Mr. MIT!?!"

"Abby," McGee said calmly. "It's not a joke. Gibbs has children with the director."

Her mouth fell open. "WHAT!? How did you find out? "

"She came in on Saturday and wanted to see the Director…well her mother," McGee explained and thought mother was a foreign adjective to use for Director Shepard. Maybe it would become more natural.

"Why didn't anyone let me know then? I wanted to see the Gibblet! What's she look like? Is she pretty? Of course, she would be! The Director is her mother. Does she have Gibbs eyes? Answer the questions, McGee!"

McGee hadn't comprehended all of the questions because of how fast the forensic scientist had been talking. Fortunately, he had caught the first question. "Abby, it was Saturday."

"So? I would have come in!"

"What did you do on Friday night?"

"Oh, right..." she trailed off, remembering she had asked permission to leave early and go to a party that night. Gibbs had also given her permission to not come in on Saturday.

Tony entered the squad room, and Abby quickly approached him. "Tony!"

"Yeah?" he asked, wondering what Abby was doing in the squad room so early. There wasn't any case, so she hadn't any discoveries on evidence.

"Is she pretty? What's her name? You have to tell me!"

He looked at McGee. Before McGee could mouth anything to him, Abby grabbed the senior agent by the shoulders and frantically shook him. "Tony!"

"Who? Abs, calm down. How many Caff-Pows have you had?" He brushed off his jacket after she relinquished her hold.

"The Gibblet!" she answered, exasperated. No one was answering her questions.

"Which one? There are two, and they're twins."

"Identical?!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. We met Lizzie first then we met Katie."

"Aww. The Gibblets have cute names. What do they look like?"

Tony looked embarrassed and debated answering the question as he sat down at his desk. Gibbs could come in at any time. He didn't want head trauma first thing in the morning. Ziva snickered from behind him as she came into work. "Yes, Tony...why don't you describe Lizzie the way you did to Gibbs?"

Abby looked thoroughly confused and focused her attention on the Israeli. "What did he say?"

Ziva kept the smug look on her face as she sat down at her desk. "Lizzie has a smoking hot body…yes, Tony?"

Abby's eyes widened as she looked at Tony. "You didn't? Not in front of Gibbs!"

Tony rolled his eyes and adjusted his desk lamp. "In my defense, I didn't know she was his daughter. She came in here and didn't introduce herself. She wanted to know where the Director's office was. How was I supposed to know?"

Abby tried to resist the urge to laugh but failed miserably. She patted Tony on the shoulder as she laughed hysterically. "I wish I could have seen it! I mean…his face when you said that!"

"Abs," Tony warned, thinking he had heard the elevator doors open but wasn't sure.

"You can't date her! Gibbs would kill you!"

"I'm not going to date his daughter."

"Never more than once, DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he entered the squad room from his morning coffee run.

"Gibbs!" Abby squealed and hustled to stand in front of his desk. Much to her disappointment, he didn't answer many of her questions about his daughters nor did he have pictures of them in his wallet. The Goth would have to impatiently wait to meet the girls in person considering Gibbs banned her and McGee from trying to find out any information about them. For the rest of the day, the team thought about the girls off and on. One of the agents was thinking about one daughter in particular.

Unfortunately, the thoughts were still present in the agent's mind on Tuesday morning. Anthony DiNozzo rarely became hung up on women. He would see skirts and chase them until the inevitable break up happened…usually a week later. To say he had commitment issues was a severe understatement. He stepped into the elevator and stood there for three minutes before he realized he hadn't pressed the button. He was lost in his thoughts and slapped the back of his head.

"You can't," he said aloud. He shook his head but was still thinking of the way her car had smelled of vanilla mixed with Ralph Lauren's Romance. The song, _Me & Mrs. You_, from the CD player still echoed in his ears, and he had been surprised to hear Michael Buble coming from the speakers. A person's taste in music always told a lot about them. He took a deep breath and waited for the elevator doors to open. She needed to get out of his mind. He didn't move as he stared at the person in front of him. He only heard _Me & Mrs. You_ playing softly from the depths of his mind. _I'm looking for something and that something is you…_

"Morning, Tony," Elizabeth Gibbs spoke to him. There was something about her that had him captivated. He couldn't put his finger on it or describe what it was about the redhead. The brightness of her blue green eyes and smile didn't help loosen the hold she unknowingly held on the agent.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" he asked, walking next to her. "How's the arm?"

"I'm waiting on m-," she started to say mom but corrected her word choice. "Director Shepard. I thought it was going to be her getting off the elevator. "It's good…annoying as hell. I'm getting used to it though."

Tony couldn't help but chuckle as he walked behind his desk and put his things down. McGee was the only other person at work so far. "She's your mother. You can say it."

"She wants Katie and me to not call her mother or mom if we're at NCIS. It is silly…isn't it?" She finished with a slight laugh, glancing at her watch.

"You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, sorry. She has my recommendation letters that I need."

"Recommendation letters?" McGee asked, overhearing the conversation.

Lizzie turned her head and looked at him. "An aide position with Senator Sommers although I'd rather not."

"Nice," McGee answered, sounding very impressed.

"Thanks," she replied nonchalantly.

"What would you rather do?" Tony asked, curious.

"I'd rather take the internship at an art gallery. That's what I'd much rather do."

"Are you going to tell her?" McGee asked.

She nodded her head. "As soon as she gets in, I plan on telling her."

"Tell me what?" Her mother questioned as she passed by the bullpen. "I have all the letters of recommendation in my briefcase. SecNav was longwinded." She'd had a meeting with the Secretary of the Navy and has also picked up his letter of recommendation.

Lizzie jumped slightly. "I hate it when she does that," she said under her breath. "It was good to see you, McGee. Tony," she said, glancing at the senior field agent with a smile and walking away. She caught up with her mother as the older woman purposefully walked up the stairs.

McGee looked up the stairs, watching the Director and daughter go into the office. He then looked over at Tony. "Can you imagine those recommendation letters?"

"Not at all, Probie."

Tony swirled around in his chair and shook his head. There was another reason not to get involved with Lizzie on top of all the other reasons. She was much younger than him, and she had her whole life ahead of her with endless opportunities. The biggest and most fearful reason to stay away from Lizzie was that she was the daughter of Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jenny Shepard. She was out of his league, and Tony rarely found a woman he considered out of his league. He sighed and decided to play an unauthorized game on his computer.

In the office, Jen opened her briefcase and took out the envelope holding the large stack of recommendation letters. She had pulled all the strings she could to help her daughter. She sat down in her desk chair and watched her daughter, checking her email on her BlackBerry. Where did the time go? It didn't seem like so long ago she was telling Jethro she was pregnant. To her, it felt like yesterday. She smiled sadly to herself. She finally had her daughters home for the whole summer and hated they were growing up. Both wanted to move completely out of the house and get an apartment. She let out a sigh and handed her daughter the envelope.

"There you go, sweetheart."

Lizzie took the heavy envelope from her mother. "Thanks, Director Shepard."

"Elizabeth."

"Thanks, mom."

"That's better. I only asked that you don't call me mom around other agents…besides your father's team. They're okay."

"Mom, can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I don't want to take the internship with Senator Sommers. I'd rather take the internship at the Smithsonian."

"I know." Jen smiled at her daughter. "All your recommendation letters are for that."

Elizabeth had a love and hate relationship with her mother's ability to know all, but she nodded her head and stood up, throwing her phone and the envelope into her purse. "I'll see you when you get home or whenever I get home," she said, walking to the door.

"Lizzie…wait." She waited for her daughter to stop and turn around before she spoke. "What's on your agenda today?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to the Smithsonian to drop these off. Maybe go shopping with Katie. Maybe get coffee with some friends tonight…nothing set in stone on the agenda."

Jen nodded her head. "Update me."

"Do I have to call?"

"Texts are acceptable."

Lizzie rolled her eyes in Gibbs fashion and left her mother's office. At twenty years of age, she had to check in. She took out her phone and sent a text message to a number she conveniently had taken from her mother's phone. DiNozzo felt his personal cell phone vibrating, and he took the phone out of his pocket, hiding it under his desk to read the message. The boss was in the squad room. DiNozzo didn't recognize the number, but he grinned when he read the text message. "It's Lizzie. Coffee later?" He sent back a yes and asked her what time.

She appeared in the squad room and stood in front of her father's desk, swiping his cup of coffee and taking a sip. "Oh god, that's way too strong," she said, making a screwed up and squinched up face.

Gibbs laughed. "They were out of my usual. What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick up the recommendation letters from mom since she had a meeting with SecNav to get his letter."

He nodded his head and leaned back in his chair, taking his coffee back. "What are you going to do the rest of the day?"

"Going to the Smithsonian, shopping with Katie, and I'm going to get coffee with a friend or two at 2100." Luckily, the squad room was quiet, and DiNozzo caught the coffee time.

"Be home by 2330."

"Daddy," she said firmly but gave him the soft, pleading eyes.

"2345…no later."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." With that, she left the bullpen and stepped into the elevator. DiNozzo sent her a text saying, "See you at 2100." She read the message and smiled. Just as he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind, Lizzie hadn't been able to stop thinking about him either. She didn't know where the coffee date would lead, but she decided to take the chance. It would be better to crash and burn or have something wonderful than to never know what might or could have been.


	5. Chapter 5

At 1930, Gibbs followed his wife into their home. His hands were full of take out bags for dinner. Jen told him she would be cooking dinner but had changed her mind. He walked to the kitchen, but she detoured into the study. He felt arms come around his middle moments later, and a smile graced his face. Jen rested her head against his back, and his hands went over her arms. "Peace and quiet," he whispered.

"Jethro, don't jinx it." She winced at the sound of a door slamming upstairs. "You had to jinx it."

"If we ignore them, they're not here."

She let out a small laugh at his silliness and smiled at him when he turned around to face her. He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against him. She kissed him gently on the lips.

"Mom!" Katie's voice called as she descended the stairs. She received no answer. Her mother's mouth was not being used for talking at the moment. "Mom!" Katie yelled once more, sounding more urgent. She checked the study and found it to be empty. She knew her parents were home since she'd heard the car. Katie continued her search and found her parents in the kitchen. "Get a room," she said, observing her father's hands on her mother's rear as the two were engaged in a mini make-out session.

Jen pulled away from Jethro and smirked at him. He sighed and removed his hands, not so subtly glaring at his daughter. "Katie, it better be important."

"It is," she answered. "Lizzie wants to borrow a pair of wedges, but I can't find them in my closet. Do you have them?" she asked her mother. All three wore the same size shoe, and pairs were borrowed without permission all the time.

"Which ones?"

Jethro shook his head, mumbling something about women and shoes as he exited the kitchen. He should be used to the interruptions from Katie and Lizzie. In his opinion, a matter about shoes wasn't significant enough to be an interruption. He was outnumbered if he expressed his opinion. He walked into the study and poured a glass of bourbon, leaving Katie and Jen in the kitchen.

"The teal ones with the lighter teal snake looking leather," Katie described and grinned as realization dawned on her mother's face.

"I did borrow those."

"In your closet?"

"I think so. I'll help you look," Jen said, leaving the kitchen and walking up the stairs with Katie. "Why does Lizzie want to wear those?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders. "She wants to wear them when she gets coffee later."

Jen narrowed her gaze and knew there was a reason for those shoes. A male had to be involved. Lizzie would not want to wear three and a half inch wedges if a male was not involved. "Go on in and start looking. Be there in a minute." She walked to Lizzie's door and knocked.

"Hold on!" Lizzie yelled and opened the door a minute later. "Hey. Dinner's ready?" she asked casually.

"Elizabeth, do you have a date?" Jen noticed the black low cut dress and knew what the back of the dressed looked like. It had a cross-back and showed a decent amount of skin. She had bought the black dress for Lizzie and a violet dress for Katie. With the outfit choice, her daughter was most definitely going on a date.

"Maybe. Did Katie find the wedges?"

Jen walked into the room and sat down on the bed. "She's looking in my closet. Who is he?"

"I don't know. Allison set me up on a blind date."

"What's his name?"

"Mom, I don't know. Haven't you ever been on a blind date?"

"A lifetime ago, Lizzie."

Unknowingly, Katie saved her sister from more interrogation. "Found them!" She announced, holding the wedges in her hand. She dropped them onto the floor and sat down next to her mother. "How are you doing your hair?"

"I'm leaving it the way it is," Lizzie told her. "We're only going for coffee." She didn't want to admit that the cast on her wrist made it harder to do more to her locks than a simple blow out and no frills styling.

Katie nodded her head and sensed a look from the person next to her. "Don't give me that look," she admonished as she looked into her mother's eyes.

"Why shouldn't I? You knew that she has a date and didn't tell me."

"I didn't want to answer questions I don't have answers to."

"You're too much like your father."

"That's a good thing, right?" Katie grinned.

Jen rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Not all the time. Dinner is ready. Lizzie, I would change into jeans and a t-shirt to go down and eat." She would save her daughter from Jethro's third degree interrogation. If he knew Lizzie was going on a date, he would drive both of them crazy and get McGee to find out everything he could on the poor soul.

"Good idea! I didn't even think about that."

Jenny left the bedroom and closed the door, going down the stairs and into the study. Katie changed positions, so she was lying on her stomach and propped up on her elbows. "Well?"

"Well what?" Lizzie asked, playing dumb as she pulled on a pair of jeans.

"Lizzie, don't even. I know you. We shared a small studio apartment together for nine months," Katie finished with a smirk. "Who is he?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes at her older sister and threw on a Georgetown t-shirt, sitting down on the bed. "Stays between us," she said softly.

"Of course." Katie would never divulge her sister's secrets, and Lizzie would never tell Katie's secrets. Both were strong followers of their father's rule number four.

"While I was in mom's office, I swiped her phone and got a number from it. I texted Tony and asked him out for coffee."

"Tony as in Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Tony?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "That would be the one."

Katie smirked at her sister but couldn't hide the fact it was turning into a grin. "I won't say a word. I want details as soon as you come back. If I'm asleep, wake me up."

"You'll be awake. Daddy said no later than 2345."

"I can take care of that," Katie replied confidently. She would convince her father she wanted to work on the boat and go with him. The man lost all track of time when working on that boat. "You handle mom."

Lizzie grinned mischievously and nodded her head. "Deal." The pair left the bedroom and walked downstairs to grab dinner. Dinner was had around the island in the middle of the kitchen. Gibbs threw away the take out boxes while the girls handled the dishes. Jen went into the study to tackle the never ending paperwork.

"Daddy," Katie said while loading the dishwasher.

"Yeah?" He looked at her as he lifted the trash bag and tied it.

"Can we go work on the boat?"

"We can. Lizzie, you wanna go?"

"I'll pass."

He smirked at her. "Better things to do?"

"I'm going for coffee with friends. Remember or forgetting in your old age?"

"You wish. I remember I told you to be home by 2345."

She handed the last plate to her sister, and the two exchanged glances. Lizzie dried her hands and walked over, standing on her toes to kiss her father's cheek. "Of course, you remember that."

He grinned and gave her a hug. "Have fun and be careful."

"I will. You and Katie have fun choking on sawdust."

"Go. Get outta here," he told her. He watched Lizzie leave the kitchen and turned to Katie. "Go change, and we'll go."

Katie dashed out of the kitchen and up to her room to change. Gibbs walked to the study and leaned against the doorway, watching his wife be engrossed in her paperwork. He couldn't deny thinking she looked adorable with her glasses nearly to the end of her nose. He said her name as he walked to the desk. "Katie and I are gonna go work on the boat."

She nodded her head and continued reading the case report. "I'll still be here when you get back."

"You should take a break from it after a few hours."

She nodded slightly. Both of them knew she wouldn't take a break. He moved the chair and gave her a kiss. "Bye Jen."

She smiled at her husband and kissed him a second time. "Bye Jethro. Love you."

"Love you too," he replied, hearing Katie run down the stairs and then appear in the doorway of the study.

"C'mon, let's go. Bye mom!"

The two of them left to work on the boat. Lizzie changed her clothes and touched up her make-up before appearing in the study half an hour later. She walked over and sat down on top of the desk. "Got a minute?"

Jen removed her glasses and put them down, looking at her. "What's the conspiracy?"

"Daddy wants me home by 2345. If the date goes well, I might not come home until after that time."

"And that's why Katie wanted to work on the boat," Jen answered with a laugh. Her girls had always been too intelligent for their own good. "Don't worry. I'll cover you on my end."

"Thanks, mom. You're a life saver."

She smirked and shook her head. "Don't thank me. Go and have a good time. I won't bother you if you don't bother me. Deal?"

"Deal. I'm leaving in a few minutes. Call when I'm on my way home?"

"Please."

"Bye mom," Lizzie said, giving her a hug and leaving the study. She picked up her purse and left home. Twenty minutes later, she arrived at the coffee shop and parked her car. Tony had been waiting for fifteen minutes. He was nervous, and he was rarely anxious about first dates although he kept telling himself it was not a date. Tony cleared his throat nervously and adjusted the collar of the dark blue oxford shirt he was wearing. He noticed the redhead walking towards him with a smile on her face, and he swallowed hard.

"Hi," Lizzie said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Been waiting long?"

He shook his head and stood up from his sitting position on the bench. "No, not at all. You look beautiful."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "Let's get coffee. I'm dying for a cup."

"Are you one of those that needs an IV drip?" He half joked as he opened the door for her.

"Not yet." She walked inside, and he followed her inside. He let her place her order first and was surprised to hear it. He knew better than to assume, but he'd expected her order to be a large Jamaican blend with no cream or sugar.

"What?" she asked but caught on. "I might be a Gibbs, but I don't drink Jamaican blend all the time."

He looked embarrassed. "Sorry. A cappuccino for me, please," he told the barista.

"A caramel latte and a cappuccino. Right?"

"You're right," Tony replied and paid for the coffees. He internally kicked himself. He had officially made it a date by paying. If Gibbs found out, he knew he was a dead man. Minutes later, the two had their coffees and sat outside. He found himself becoming more nervous by the minute, and Lizzie sensed it.

She glanced at him as she took a sip of her coffee. "Tony, you don't have to impress me. Relax. I don't bite unless asked." A grin came over her face which made him laugh and loosen up.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"It's a sign of weakness," they said in unison and smiled at each other.

"What's your favorite rule?" Lizzie asked curiously.

Tony looked thoughtful as he took a gulp of cappuccino. "I've never thought about that. I can tell you which two are the most important when working with Gibbs."

"Do tell," Lizzie urged, moving forward in her seat and propping her chin on her hand.

"Rules 22 and 23."

"What's 22? I know 23."

Tony laughed. "You've never had to follow 22. Never ever bother him in interrogation."

Lizzie looked thoroughly amused. "Oh, 22 is different for Katie and me."

"Really? Do tell."

"I don't know if I should," she hedged.

"Oh, c'mon! You have to tell me!" It might kill Tony if he didn't find out what rule 22 was for the Gibbs twins.

"Okay. Well, 22 is never bother him when he's with mom in the bedroom."

Tony stared at her for a few minutes as he took in the amended rule for Lizzie and Katie. "Well, makes sense. Wouldn't the door always be closed?"

"Not all the time. It's either opened or cracked. If completely closed, rule 22 is definitely in effect."

Tony shook his head and sipped his drink. Gibbs was a smart man and never ceased to amaze him. The ice had been broken between him and Lizzie. The nerves affecting him earlier were gone. He smiled at her. "So Lizzie…or can I call you Liz?"

"Depends. Do you want to call me Liz because of Elizabeth Taylor?"

He mocked a flabbergasted expression. "How did you know?"

"I may have heard a few stories about you being a film fanatic."

"Elizabeth Taylor was a good actress," he attempted, unsure if he was on the verge of needing to bring out the movie arsenal to prove his point.

"I agree. She was great in _Cat on a Hot Tin Roof_. I don't have a problem with you calling me Liz, Tony."

Tony was pleasantly surprised at her reference to the movie. If she liked Sean Connery or James Bond movies, she could be a keeper. Still, he decided to test her knowledge. "What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?" He quoted, making a bad attempt at sounding like Paul Newman.

Lizzie couldn't help but smirk. "Just staying on it. I guess…long as she can," she retorted in her best Southern accent.

"Touché, Liz."

The conversation eased into a discussion about classic films then drifted to more personal topics. He entertained her with stories from his days of working in Baltimore and found out she was an art major with dreams of owning her own gallery. She was passionate and intense as she spoke about her artwork. Before they knew it, the coffee shop was closing. Tony looked at his watch. "It's midnight," he said aloud and couldn't believe the time. He had felt like he had been talking to someone he'd known for years so had she. Lizzie put her purse on her shoulder and looked at him.

"It doesn't seem like it should be."

"I agree. I'll walk you to your car."

"Okay." Lizzie smiled and walked next to him. At the car, he waited for her to fish her keys out of her purse and unlock the Mustang. He opened the door for her and propped himself up on it.

"Liz, I had a great time. I hate to sound cliché, but it's the truth."

"You having a great time or sounding cliché?" She couldn't resist teasing him.

He cracked a smile and shook his head. "You know what I meant."

She moved closer, propping herself up on the door and barely touching his arms. "I do," she answered and prayed he'd ask to see her again.

Tony cleared his throat and looked down at the top of the car door. "Let's do it again and soon. We'll go to dinner if you'd want to go out again."

"I'd love to," she answered.

He smiled at her and gently swiped her bangs away from her eyes. "Can I be honest with you, Liz?"

"Go ahead. I wouldn't want you to be anything less, Tony."

"I want to kiss you."

"I wouldn't stop you."

He leaned in, and she met him halfway. Both melted into the kiss. Time had stilled, and no one else existed on the busy Washington, D.C. street. Tony pulled away from the kiss and stroked her cheek, looking into her eyes. Lizzie felt lightheaded as she reeled from their first kiss. "Goodnight," Tony spoke softly.

"Goodnight," she replied in a whisper. She slid into the leather seat, and he closed her car door. She let out a light sigh of satisfaction and cranked the car, watching him walk away to his own. As he walked away, the biggest smile was on his face. There had been a spark between them.


	6. Chapter 6

In July, the team found themselves at Coleman Park Carousel in Arlington investigating the disappearance of Lieutenant Commander Alex Tanner. His son, Zach, had called NCIS and waited at the scene. Two men had abducted his father. McGee learned there was no next of kin. Four years ago, Zach's mother had been killed in a car accident. The six year old boy was taken back to headquarters until Social Services took him into their custody. Upon further investigation, McGee learned Tanner was the Navy's liaison with a defense contractor, Q and R software, and had been the project lead on something called "Honor." McGee suggested taking a trip to Q and R, and DiNozzo was sent with him. The two learned security was breached at the company. It was made clear someone was going after a working copy of Honor. Lieutenant Commander Tanner was the only one with the key, a code committed to memory. DiNozzo decided it was time to update the boss of the situation.

Gibbs was driving to Social Services to take Zach's iPod to him. He had left it at NCIS. He had always been curious about iPods. Katie and Lizzie had them, but they wouldn't let him near theirs. The previous iPod Katie owned he'd tried to fix, and it hadn't ended well for the iPod. The music player suffered death from a screwdriver and hammer. He turned it on, put the ear buds into his ears, and quickly pulled them out as the music blasted into his ear drums. He shook his head and answered his phone when it began ringing.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he said into the phone.

"We may have a problem, Boss."

"May have?"

"The Honor code thingy Commander Tanner was working on may have been stolen," Dinozzo told him. "I'm trying to confirm it right now."

"What's it supposed to do?"

"Break just about any encryption in use today."

"Well yeah, DiNozzo. I'd say that sounds like a problem."

"It gets worse, Boss." _I'm dating Elizabeth_, he thought to himself. He and Lizzie had both agreed to keep the relationship secret until they were ready to let it be known, but Tony couldn't help thinking of the hundred and one ways Leroy Jethro Gibbs would murder him.

"According to the people here, Commander Tanner's the only one who can make it work."

"All right. I'm heading your way. Just got to drop off Zach's pod thing first." He hung up the phone and put it back into his pocket. His cell phone started ringing, and he answered although he hadn't recognized the number. After all, no one should ever be unreachable.

"Agent Gibbs!" The voice belonged to Zach. He was calling from a payphone.

"Are you calling about your pod thing you left on my desk?"

"No. He's here! The man from the park."

"Let me talk to your social worker, Zach," Gibbs told him calmly.

"I'm not in her office. As soon as I saw him, I took off."

"Where are you?"

"Outside on the street."

"Zach, I'm a few blocks from you. Stay right where you are."

"I can't. He's leaving."

"Zach, listen to me! I need you to…"

Zach interrupted him. "He knows where my dad is! We can't let him get away. Hurry!" Zach dropped the phone and left to follow the man who had taken his father.

"Zach!" Gibbs shouted into the phone, stepping on the gas. He arrived at Social Services a few minutes later and briskly walked to the building. However, he caught movement in his peripheral vision. The man was rough handling Zach in an attempt to get the boy into the SUV. The agent made his presence known and took cover near a tree after shots were fired. Zach kicked his wannabe kidnapper in the groin and swiftly ran to the safety of Gibbs as he took a shot at the man, wounding him in the shoulder. The wounded man jumped into the Suburban. The passenger window and back glass was shattered from more fire from Gibbs. The older man bent down to Zach's level and could see the fear in his features. His ears were covered with his hands. "It's okay. You're safe with me," Gibbs said to him before getting him into the car. Zach wasn't safe at Social Services and seemed to only be safe in the care of agents. In the squad room, Gibbs had Zach at his desk. The special agent was showing a side of himself rarely seen, the goofy side. He blew up a rubber glove and watched the boy laugh at him. From the stairs, Gibbs' wife watched intently yet sadly. A small smile spread across her face. The facial expression faded when Ziva and Dinozzo approached her.

"New hires just keep getting younger, eh, Madame Director?" DiNozzo said to her jokingly. The use of the nickname had ceased but had come back into play somehow. She wasn't fond of it whatsoever and thought she had made it known. Of course, her hatred of the name had missed DiNozzo or Jethro had put him up to calling her that.

"Obviously, you didn't get the memo, Agent DiNozzo."

"What memo?" he asked, looking at Ziva. How could he have missed a memo? He kept up with memos and emails.

"The one where it explains the next person who calls her madame gets keel hauled…whatever that is," Ziva told him.

Tony made a pained face. He wondered what the punishment would be if she found out he was dating her daughter. "It's..."

"Unpleasant," Jen finished the explanation in a sense. She had thought better of going into too much detail. "Tell Gibbs I want him upstairs," the older woman said, leaving the agents. Jenny paced outside of MTAC while Ziva and Tony entered the squad room. Gibbs looked at them expectantly.

"What did the Director want?"

Tony furrowed his brows at the use of the title. He had noticed Gibbs referring to Jenny as Director, and she had been referring to him as Agent Gibbs. The two were professional at work, but the tone of voice was different this week. He would make a phone call to Lizzie to find out why.

"You…upstairs," Ziva told him, half amused by the request. She was sure her friend wanted her husband upstairs all the time. After receiving a Gibbs glare, the Israeli busied herself with checking sketches while DiNozzo received his orders. He had a BOLO out on a black Chevy Suburban and was informed he'd be personally checking each and every one in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. which he wasn't thrilled about. Gibbs looked at him with daggers before changing his attention to Zach. "You keep an eye on him for me. I'll be right back," he told the six-year-old who moved to watch DiNozzo like a hawk. Gibbs left the squad room and jogged up the stairs to find Jenny standing near the railing in front of her office.

"You wanted to see me?"

She gazed down at Zach at DiNozzo's desk. "I forgot how good you were with children at that age," she said softly. "He reminds me of…" she trailed off.

"Jen," he warned.

The redhead cleared her throat and looked him in the eyes, needing to get her point across. "I have spent the last hour on video-conference with the Directors of the FBI, NSA, and Homeland Security," she informed him.

"Your kind of tea party," he commented with contempt. He never wanted to be Director of NCIS or any agency. No one would ever take him out of the field and put him behind a desk full time. It would be shooting the agency in the head if he was Director. Some days, he wished Jen wasn't in her position and was still his partner. Just like old times…the two of them out in the field together.

"If Project Honor's compromised, it will cripple our intelligence networks. They all want jurisdiction on this one."

"And you said..."

"I have my best agent working it. Now tell me you have something." Jen needed him to have something…anything on this case. She didn't need every agency breathing down her neck. Frankly, the Director of NCIS did not want the added stress.

"The same men who kidnapped the Commander went after his son."

"Have you considered that Commander Tanner might not have been kidnapped?" She hated to ask him that question because she knew what it meant. An innocent child would be without a father and would go into the care of strangers.

"I have."

"And?"

"I don't buy it," he told her simply.

"Your famous gut again?" If he answered yes, she wasn't sure if she could resist screaming at him. He needed proof and not that damn gut of his.

"No. His son," he said, watching Zach. As far as he was concerned, the conversation with Jenny was finished and walked away from her. He would do his job if she gave him the space. Moreover, he needed to make a visit to the lab to see what Abby had come up with. The visit to the lab didn't make things appear any better in clearing Tanner from the evidence stacking up against him. DiNozzo interviewed people from Q and R, hoping to get any useful information. He and Ziva were discussing nothing of importance to the case as usual when Gibbs appeared in the squad room. The agents could have been discussing the mating habits of baboons, and Gibbs wouldn't have noticed. His attention was more focused on the child missing from the room.

"Where's Zach?"

"Potty break, Boss," DiNozzo answered.

"You gonna speak?"

Ziva spoke since she had the latest findings. "I got an I.D. on one of our suspects. His name is Vincent Pazzo…Italian born…freelance mercenary…black ops mostly. Some wet work."

"How'd you find out about that?" Tony asked curiously. He hated to be outdone, and Ziva knew it. The Mossad liaison was dimming the senior field agent's shining star although that star hadn't been burning brightly during this case.

"I sent Zach's sketches to some people who owe me a favor."

"Well, if he's got the Honor program and the guy who knows how to make it work, then why'd they go after the kid?"

"To force him to cooperate," Gibbs answered the senior field agent's question. The pieces were slowly but surely coming together.

"Then there's a possibility that Commander Tanner set this up to make it look like kidnapping," Ziva answered in her typical no bull way.

"Keep your voice down," Gibbs reprimanded harshly. Zach did not need to hear such musings about his father. The boy had been through a lot.

"Shh!" DiNozzo reiterated.

"That's what I would do if it were my op. The authorities are looking for a kidnapper when they should be looking for a traitor," Ziva explained quietly.

"It doesn't feel right, Ziva."

"It doesn't have to feel right to be right, Gibbs."

The team leader glared at her and looked at Tony. "Keep an eye on Zach for a few minutes." He left the bullpen and was in the Director's office minutes later, watching the redhead as she looked up from her work.

"Yes, Jethro?"

"I'm going home. Taking Zach with me."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Jen, I'm taking him home," he replied in a firmer voice.

"Jethro, don't. Please, it isn't a good idea," she stopped and sighed. "Please."

He shook his head and stared at her incredulously. "Did I say I was taking him to our house, Jen? I don't think I did."

She said nothing and folded her hands into her lap, staring down at them and listening as he continued to speak. Her husband's mind was made up, and she couldn't change it.

"He's not safe anywhere else. I'll see you in the morning," he said, leaving the office. He took Zach to his house. The pair ate dinner, a delivered pepperoni pizza. He found an old NIS t-shirt for Zach to wear. The boy followed Gibbs to the basement and looked at the unfinished boat in amazement. The two talked about the boat and Zach's father until Zach changed the subject.

"Who's the lady with red hair?"

"Her name's Jenny. Why?"

"Who is she?"

Gibbs looked at him as he stood at the work bench. "My wife and the Director of NCIS."

"Why isn't she here? If you're married, she lives here too. Right?"

He sighed. "We do live together but not in this house, Zach. I keep this one to work on my boat."

"Is she coming over?"

"Probably not. We're having a few problems," Gibbs admitted but decided to change the subject. "Do you want to give me a hand?" he asked, motioning to the boat as he neared it. Both were oblivious to the one woman audience watching from the doorway.

Jenny stood quietly in the doorway. She had taken her heels off before padding through the house. Jethro wouldn't detect her perfume as he usually did. The smell of sawdust was too strong. She watched her husband with the boy and listened to their conversation.

"Don't know how," Zach replied in a small voice. He didn't want to mess up the hard work put into the boat. He liked Gibbs and could tell Gibbs liked him. If he messed up the boat, Gibbs could get upset with him.

"Come on, I'll give you a hand."

"I don't want to ruin it."

"You're not going to ruin anything," Gibbs promised. "Come here." He hoisted Zach up, so he could reach the area needing to be sanded. Gibbs moistened his thumb and cleaned off an area to reveal the wood grain. "See? You always want to go with the grain of wood. Put your hand there. Put your weight behind it. Back and forth… real even," he instructed.

From her place in the shadows, Jenny swallowed hard as she watched Zach carefully sand with Jethro's assistance. She felt tears forming in her green eyes and brushed one away that fell onto her cheek. Seeing her husband with the boy had brought a memory to the forefront, and the remembrance was too painful for her especially considering the week. By the time she reached the front door, tears were streaming down her face. She slipped into her car and whispered to no one, "I wish you were still here."


	7. Chapter 7

The next day, the black Chevy Suburban had been found. Zach had been able to remember some of the license plate. While the team went to investigate the vehicle, Ducky and Abby kept Zach occupied. Ducky entertain the boy with magic tricks, but the boy had the tricks figured out which reminded Ducky of someone other than Jethro. The man wounded by Gibbs the previous day had been fatally shot and was found by the team. Gibbs and Ziva walked into autopsy to learn Ducky's findings.

"Ah Ziva, what a pleasure!" The medical examiner greeted her. He was used to Jethro being the only one to come into autopsy, but he always welcomed more guests.

"Doctor Mallard," Ziva greeted him.

"Oh Ducky, please."

"Ducky," she said with a smile.

"Are you two done with the name game?" Gibbs asked, impatient.

"Our guest departed this world only a few hours ago, but he was in a great deal of pain before he died…seems he was wounded…single round. The bullet lodged under his scapula…the shoulder blade," he reported to Jethro and Ziva.

"Duck, I'm going to guess that slug's from my safe."

"As to the fatal injury, this circular burn around the entry wound suggests…"

Ziva took over. "A silencer was used. It was done in haste by someone with little…if any experience. If a professional did this, he would have not left his weapon. It's untidy…marks of an amateur. If it were me, I would not have been so obvious. There are literally dozens of effective ways to eliminate a target without raising suspicions. Heroin overdose is popular, but it requires a history of prior use. Of course something like insulin or potassium can be used to suggest death by natural causes."

Ducky looked at her with admiration. "I really must ask you over for dinner. Mother would love to talk with you."

"They cleaned house. I wounded him when he tried to grab Zach. After that he was a liability," Gibbs said.

"Once, again, I suggest Commander Tanner may be involved. All the evidence says he stole the software. He cleared out his bank accounts. He likely killed this man. You have to admit from an investigator's point of view, the pieces fit together quite well," she said as Gibbs left autopsy. It was clear the boss was not pleased with her conclusion. "Or not."

Gibbs paid a visit to Abby, learning the weapon used to kill the man. He left the lab and walked to the elevator, hitting the button with frustration. The doors opened to reveal Jenny, and she wasn't the person he wanted to see right now. The married couple was avoiding one another, and the tension surrounding them was too thick to be cut with a knife. A chainsaw was better suited to severe the tension. Both put up their professional walls as he prevented the doors from closing.

"You getting off, Director?"

"Looking for you actually. I saw Ducky's report on the body downstairs," she told him as he stepped inside the elevator, and the doors closed.

"That was fast."

"One of the perks of being Director. I get to read all the good reports. What's next, Jethro?"

As soon as the elevator stopped, he smacked the button for the doors to open. He wasn't sure of the next step, and she didn't need to know about his uncertainty. Also, she didn't need to realize he was getting attached to Zach. Knowing Jen, she most likely knew that fact. Jethro knew he needed to exit the elevator.

"Finishing this conversation."

"Don't give me a hard time," she answered in half plea and half order. She hit the button, watching the doors slide shut. She pressed the button to her level and turned to face him.

"I didn't realize I was."

"The man who supposedly kidnapped Commander Tanner is lying dead in our autopsy room. Tanner is looking less and less like a victim."

"You want back in the field again, Jen?" he asked, looking at her. The elevator stopped on her floor, and the two of them exited.

"Tanner has technology that could set back our intelligence monitoring thirty years. Pardon me for taking an interest," she snapped.

"And here I thought you just wanted an excuse to spend time together," he shot back. He hadn't been coming home to her although he knew she needed him. One small blessing was the twins staying with his father for two weeks as they did nearly every summer. Lizzie and Katie didn't need to see their parents this way.

"I just want to know that this is about more than a fatherless child to you."

"Boss!" McGee said as Gibbs and the Director stopped in the hallway near the stairs.

Jenny looked at the agent, annoyed with him but more annoyed with her husband. "Didn't you notice that we're in the middle of a conversation, Agent McGee!"

McGee was taken aback. The polite agent hadn't realized he was interrupting or that Director Shepard had taken some of her anger out on him. "Sorry. Should I come back?" he asked.

"No," Gibbs said while Jenny said yes.

"I'm simply trying to solve your case here, Director," Gibbs said to her. The heated glare from her hadn't phased him.

"Speak," she said, giving McGee the command like he was a lap dog. She glanced at her husband several times and wondered what was going through his mind. She couldn't bring herself to ask him if he had been feeling the same way she had.

"Commander Wilder is here. He works with Commander Tanner at Q and R," he told them. Gibbs nodded and left to speak with Commander Wilder. He had brought a few things for Zach. The team continued to work diligently. Abby had found Commander Tanner's prints on the murder weapon. With Ziva calling in a favor from the CIA, they learned Commander Tanner was framed, and the framing was done inside Q and R. They found Tanner in a garage near Coleman Park. He had been tortured and beaten by his captors but had not given them the code for Honor. Commander Wilder had been behind the whole frame up. Zach and his father were reunited at NCIS headquarters later that night.

At the end of the day, the case reports had been done and turned in. The last few days had been more than rough, and the case had taken a toll on Gibbs. He turned off his desk lamp and let out a heavy sigh, grappling with the decision to go home or not. The separation between husband and wife had been put in place for a particular reason. He drove home and sat in the parked car for several minutes. He stepped into the house and felt the quiet surround him. He put his keys down on the small table in the foyer and took his coat off, putting it on the rack. He quietly walked upstairs and pushed the bedroom door open. He could see the form of Jen's body under the covers. The rarely used television in the armoire was playing an old family movie. He smiled softly at the sight of Katie and Lizzie at six years old in their matching Easter dresses and scrambling to find their eggs. He swallowed hard at the sight of Jenny with a three-year-old boy in her arms. The dark haired toddler was laughing and watching the girls intently. Jethro could remember that Easter without the help of a home movie. He took off his shoes and walked over, slipping into bed and putting an arm over his wife. On top of the covers, tissues were scattered and an empty glass was next to the nearly drained bottle of bourbon.

"Jethro," her voice was barely above a whisper and hoarse from crying.

"I'm right here, Jen."

She turned over, facing him. He sighed heavily, seeing the mascara smeared across her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she told him, apologizing for her behavior and something that happened years ago.

"What have I told you? It wasn't your fault," he reprimanded her softly. "Nothing could be done."

She nodded her head, burying her face into his chest. She started to cry when his arms went around her tightly. "Jethro, I'm still sorry I couldn't give you a son."

He kissed her head. "You did give me a son. I wouldn't trade the time we had with him either." Three years after the twins, she and Jethro had a son, Jasper. He had been a complete surprise and was named after her father. He lost a battle with congestive heart failure at the age of six. Jasper's future seemed promising after a heart transplant at the age of five, but his body rejecting the organ robbed him of celebrating any more birthdays. Neither one of them talked about it for years. The pain was buried deep inside but always resurfaced on the anniversary of his death or his birthday. Jasper would be eighteen years old, and his mother was feeling the same guilt she felt when he slipped away. She had been the one with a family history of heart problems.

Jen barely nodded her head, wiping at her eyes as she pulled away from his chest. She sat up in bed and cleared her throat as she picked up the scattered tissues. Her eyes stared at the television. Her thoughts were drifting back to Easter morning.

_Jasper hadn't wanted to leave his mother's side all morning. He had crawled into bed with her and Jethro around four in the morning and stayed snuggled close to her. She woke up before the alarm went off at 0700. When she stepped out of the bathroom around 0745, she found her boys sitting side by side in bed and eating cereal. She shook her head at them. "Don't make a mess. That goes for you too, Jethro."_

_Jasper looked up at his father, and his father smirked at him. "Don't look at me. You're the one that spilled milk."_

"_Nooo, not me," his son replied._

"_Uh huh. It was you, Jasper."_

_Jen rolled her eyes at both of them. They would go back and forth all day if they could. "That's enough. Are you done?"_

_Jasper nodded his head and handed over the cereal bowl. "Yes, ma'am." _

_She smiled at him being polite, taking the cereal bowl and holding out her arms for him. He jumped into her arms and slipped his arms around her neck, kissing her cheek. "Are you ready for Easter?"_

_Jasper's blue eyes widened as he realized what day it was. Easter meant church, candy, and an Easter egg hunt along with lunch at his grandparent's house in Georgetown. Jethro looked at Jen with amusement as Jasper started shouting about Easter and wriggling out of her arms. He bolted out of the room to wake his sisters up. She walked over to her husband's side of bed. "You need to get out of bed and stop making messes. You're worse than Jasper."_

_Jethro smirked at her and grabbed her by the wrists, pulling her into his lap. "He gets it from me," he said, placing a kiss on her lips. _

_"And his sweet disposition is from you too, Jethro?"_

_"Hey! I can be sweet."_

_She laughed at him. "You're sweet when you want something," she told him before indulging in a second kiss. "I love you and want more, but we should probably rescue Jasper. The girls might attack him for being woken up." The girls loved their little brother, but he could be annoying._

_"Girls? You mean Katie?"_

_Jen rolled her eyes at him and pushed herself out of his lap. She wasn't halfway across the hall before Jasper ran into her, crying and rubbing at his eyes. "Honey, what's the matter?" she asked, lifting him up. He sniffled and held his hand over his eye. "Show mommy what happened."_

_He pointed towards the girls' room and moved his hand from his eye. "She hit me!"_

_"Katie?"_

_Jasper nodded his head and rested his head against his mom's shoulder as he sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "It hurts." _

_"I bet it does." Jethro patted his son on the back and looked at his wife. "I got it. I'll handle double trouble. You get him calmed down." Jasper didn't want anyone but his mother if he was hurt or sick._

_Inside his daughters' bedroom, Jethro learned Katie had hit her brother in the face with a pillow because he had jumped on her bed and continued jumping to wake her up. At the age of six, Katie was not a morning person. If Jen wouldn't yell at him, Jethro would start the kid on coffee. Lizzie listened to her father's talk for a few minutes before leaving the bedroom. She hadn't done anything to Jasper, so the lecture wasn't for her ears. Jen looked at her daughter as she entered the bathroom but was splashed in the face by Jasper who giggled and apologized. _

_"What is it, Lizzie?"_

_"Is Jasper okay?"_

_She looked behind her and nodded her head. "He's fine. Get a towel please?" Jen asked before focusing her attention on washing her son's hair. Lizzie handed her mother a towel and sat on the edge of the tub. _

_"I don't want to wear my dress."_

_"Lizzie, honey…please. Your grandmother will have a fit if you don't wear the dress she bought." She rinsed the shampoo out of Jasper's hair and helped him sit up. He grabbed a washcloth and wiped his face. _

_"I don't wear dresses," he said as he wiped his face._

_Jenny laughed at him and ruffled his wet hair. "That's right. You don't wear dresses. You'll wear a suit like your father." She looked at Elizabeth. "Get dressed, please." She watched Lizzie slide off the edge of the tub and go to her room. _

_Surprisingly, the family made it to church on time. Jethro had saved them from running late. He stopped Jasper from going outside and playing with the dog. The girls were in matching yellow dresses their grandmother had purchased for them, and the boys looked handsome in their suits and matching ties. After church, the rest of the day was spent in Georgetown. The girls had cleaned Jasper Shepard out of all the candy he had stashed in his pockets, and Helen Shepard made a fuss over how cute the girls were in their Easter dresses. Jasper played shy at his grandparent's home and stuck to his mother like glue. With her help, he had found the golden egg and ran to his grandfather with it._

_The older Jasper smiled at his grandson. "I knew you'd find it." He handed him a twenty dollar bill. "Be careful with that," he instructed and smiled when he received a hug. Jasper ran back over to his mother to show her. _

_Jen knelt down and smiled at him, brushing his hair away from his eyes. He needed a haircut. "You did a good job, Jasper."_

_He smiled proudly and put his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. "I love you, mommy," he whispered, kissing her._

"Jen?"

She looked at him, dabbing at her eyes and thinking about how much Jasper had looked like his father. He had the same dark hair like Jethro had before turning gray and those intense, piercing blue eyes. She couldn't help wondering who her son would be if he had lived. She reached out and stroked her husband's face softly. "He looked so much like you."

Jethro took her hand and kissed her fingers. "You know, I'm always up for trying."

She let out a small laugh. "At our age?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he sat up, pulling her against his side. "You never know…could be fun."

"The trying, Jethro?"

"That too…but it could be fun to have a baby."

She titled her head to the side, staring at her husband like he'd lost his mind. The baby making days were over for the two of them. She was too close to fifty years old, and he was over fifty. Jenny couldn't imagine running an agency and starting over with a baby. "Are you becoming senile?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just an idea."

"I don't know if I could handle a disappointment," she answered softly.

He nodded his head and rubbed her back in circles. Every year, she turned him down on the idea of having another child. After a decade of being turned down, Jethro had given up. She couldn't handle another disappointment or more years of blaming herself. The two of them lay back down. Jen rested her head against his chest and stared at the television. Her husband rubbing her back and his presence soothed her. Soon, her eyes were heavy, and she was drifting into slumber.


	8. Chapter 8

The weekend allowed husband and wife to recover from the week's cases and personal matters. Jen had pulled out old photo albums and more home movies to watch with Jethro on Saturday afternoon, and the two of them paid a visit to Jasper's grave sight on Sunday. Tears were shed, but it was the first time the two of them had visited the grave together. Now, they were in a rush to get back home. The girls were coming back in the afternoon and were in need of civilization. The small town their grandfather, Jackson Gibbs, lived in didn't allow much excitement. It had allowed for relaxation and helping Katie and Lizzie work on a better tan considering they spent most of the two weeks in the lake behind their grandfather's home. Jackson Gibbs missed his granddaughters spending the whole summer with him, but he was grateful for the two weeks.

He helped them load the bags into the trunk of Katie's Accord coupe. When all the bags were inside, he closed the trunk and looked at his grandchildren. "Drive carefully. Don't get a speeding ticket," he said, looking at both of them. Both had inherited a lead foot. It was coded in the Gibbs' genes.

"Don't look at me. Katie's driving," Lizzie said to him, giving her grandfather a tight hug. "We'll call when we get home." She kissed him on the cheek and didn't get away from him without another hug. He nodded his head. There was no doubt he would get a phone call letting him know they returned safely.

Katie smirked at the speeding ticket comment. She hadn't ever been able to live down the fact that she got a ticket three summers ago and ever since. Jackson chuckled at her. "With that look on your face, you look like Jenny," he told her.

"Granddaddy," she said, trying not to laugh.

"You do," he replied, giving her a tight hug. "Tell Leroy he can pick up the phone. It works both ways."

She nodded her head. "I will." She kissed his cheek and released herself from the hug. The girls told their grandfather they loved him and loaded into the car, putting on their sunglasses. He stood outside until the car was out of sight.

Lizzie looked back in the window and over to her sister. "Think mom's okay?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders while she attempted to find a radio station. "You know what last week was."

"I know…that's why I was asking. I'll handle the radio. You focus on not speeding." She picked up her phone and saw the lack of service bars. "Damn."

"We'll be out of town soon enough," Katie promised as the speedometer reached 75mph.

As soon as they were out of town, full service was granted to them. Lizzie hit speed dial 1 and waited for the person on the other end to answer. She turned the radio down and put the call on speakerphone.

Jen fished her cell phone out of her purse as it began ringing. For a few seconds, Jethro took his eyes off the road and looked over. "Bet it's Lizzie," he said.

"I know," his wife answered, finding her phone and answering. She also put the call on speakerphone. "On your way home?"

"Yeah, we left about fifteen minutes ago."

"Hey Leroy!"

Jethro rolled his eyes when he heard Katie's voice. There was only one person who called him Leroy. "What's the message, Katie?"

"You can pick up the phone. It works both ways," she told her father.

Jen bit her lip to fight the amusement and looked at her husband. She had given up telling him he needed to communicate with his father more often. He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I know that," he grumbled. The rest of his answer drifted into more unhappy grumbling.

"Anyway, we'll be home soon," Lizzie told her parents as she looked at her sister. "And hopefully in one piece." Everyone exchanged the goodbyes and I love you's.

"Hey Katie…don't get a speeding ticket," her father said before Jen ended the call. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. They cranked up the radio and sang along or talked about anything and everything on the drive home until Lizzie received a phone call.

She answered. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Missing you," the voice replied. From the look on her sister's face, Katie knew who had called, and it was Anthony DiNozzo. Her sister's secret relationship with the agent was safe with her.

"I missed you too."

"Where are you?"

"Driving home. We might break a record since Katie's driving."

Tony laughed. He knew how that feeling felt. After all, he had been in the car with Gibbs driving. "Want to get dinner tonight?"

Lizzie sighed. "I'd love to…but…"

"But what?"

"I can't miss dinner at home tonight. How about dessert?" She hinted, hoping he would catch on. They had been seeing each other for a little over a month, and he hadn't made too many heated advances on her which confused her. She didn't know it also confused Tony. For the first time in his life, he hadn't been chasing skirts. His eyes were focused on one skirt, and they weren't wandering either.

He picked up on the hint but played it off. "That does sound good. I'm thinking a slice of cheesecake and cappuccino would hit the spot around 9 o'clock."

"I'll see you at 9, Tony." She hung up the phone and sighed.

"What?" Katie asked, looking over at her.

"Nothing…just frustration." She threw her lip gloss at her sister when she laughed.

"I'm driving!" Katie smirked, throwing the tube of lip gloss back at her. "Don't get mad with me. I'm not the cause of your sexual frustration!"

In Georgetown, Jethro carried the dozen or so grocery bags into the house while Jen plundered around in the kitchen. She always cooked dinner for the family on Sunday, and the girls did not ever want to know what would happen if they missed Sunday dinner. Jethro took everything out of the grocery bags and set to work on his part of dinner. He would be handling the steaks. He turned when Jen started laughing to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing really…just thinking the team wouldn't ever believe I could cook."

"You're right."

Jen was an amazing cook but never had the time which was why Neomi, housekeeper and cook, was a necessity during the week. She grabbed whatever needed to be put in the fridge and put it there, bending over to open one of the lower drawers to place the lettuce in. She didn't hear any movement from Jethro. "Jethro, stop staring at my ass."

He smirked, knowing he'd been caught but didn't stop staring. Instead, he popped her on the ass. She shook her head and stood up, turning around. He still had the smirk on his face and stepped closer to her.

"Jethro," she warned him. The warning failed as he placed a kiss on her lips and slipped his hands into the back pockets of her jeans, squeezing not so gently. She broke away from the kiss. "Jethro, we have to," she said breathlessly and not able to finish her sentence before he kissed her once more. She tossed the idea of cooking dinner out of her mind and gave into the kiss, letting him take her upstairs. Making dinner could and would be delayed an hour or two.

On the open road, the Honda Accord had been pulled over. Katie watched the officer walk back to his car after she'd handed over her license, registration, and proof of insurance. She handed the items back to her sister to put them in the glove compartment.

"I told you to slow down," Lizzie told her. Not even five minutes ago, she had told Katie to slow down and set the cruise control if need be. It's usually what saved her from getting speeding tickets.

"Whatever. Shut up, Lizzie." Katie didn't want to bring a speeding ticket home to her parents. She watched the officer walk towards the car.

She smiled at him as he stood at the window. "Well?"

"You're going to get a warning. Slow it down."

"A warning?" she asked in shock.

He nodded his head. "Yes, a warning. I don't need my boss to get a call from the Director of NCIS on Monday morning, but that doesn't mean you can speed. Slow it down."

Lizzie turned her head to look out the window and bit back the laughter that was rising in her throat. There were perks to having a mother that was director of a federal agency. Katie nodded her head and took the warning from the officer. "Thank you. Have a great day," she said to him and hit the button, letting the window up. She put the car into drive and waved to the officer as the car got back onto the road. "Don't say a word."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Lizzie replied, unable to hold the laughter in any longer. "Just thank mom when we get home."

"For what?"

"Oh please, the only reason you got out of that was because the registration comes back to her, and any police in the area know who the director of every agency is around here."

Katie started to say something but kept her mouth shut, realizing her sister was right. "I hate it when you're right."

"I know." Lizzie grinned smugly.

Her sister glared and pulled the car over, getting out. She walked over and jerked the passenger door open. "You can drive."

"What if I don't want to drive?"

"Then we'll just sit here!"

"Fine. I'll drive as long as you don't act like you're three and throw a tantrum," she said, unclicking her seatbelt and getting out of the car.

Katie got into the car and slammed the door. She put on her seatbelt and shook her head. She hated her sister being right and also hated her mother's name had aided her in getting a warning. In some ways, she'd much rather have been slammed with a speeding ticket. Favoritism wasn't a favorite of hers.

Lizzie put the car into drive and waited until it was clear to get back onto the road. "Katie, let it go. You got a warning and not your fourth speeding ticket."

"Third," she corrected her.

"Third, fourth, whatever…trust me, there'll be plenty more opportunities for you to get a ticket."

Katie said nothing, knowing her sister was right for a second time. She took a drink from her bottle of water and threw her piece of gum out the window. Lizzie knew nothing would be said and turned up the volume on the radio. The rest of the drive was quiet. Jen and Jethro were coming down the stairs as they heard the car in front of the house. She was ahead of him.

"Jethro!" Jen shrieked.

"What? I heard the car," he said, pulling his t-shirt over his head. Before he knew it, a bra was being thrown at him. "Oh that," he said, catching the pink lacy bra. He forgot Jen had lost it somewhere between the kitchen and bedroom.

"Throw that in the bedroom right now before the girls come through the front door!"

"Jen, did you find your underwear?" he asked, a small smirk forming on his face.

She turned halfway and glared at him. "Yes, Jethro." She shook her head at him and walked to the door. He walked back up the stairs and threw the undergarment into their bedroom, closing the door.

She opened the front door and raised an eyebrow at Lizzie getting out on the driver's side. Jethro came to stand behind her in the doorway, following her line of sight. "I think Katie got a ticket," she told him.

"Why?" His question was answered as he saw Katie get out on the passenger side. He nodded his head and walked out the door to help the girls with their bags. "Catch up on sun?"

Lizzie nearly slammed the trunk lid shut on Katie's hand. Their father had snuck up on them. "Jesus Christ!"

He laughed and leaned in between them, taking two bags out of the trunk. He left them a bag each to carry. "Dinner's going to be late."

The girls nodded and looked at each other, surprised he hadn't said anything about the ticket. Jethro Gibbs knew all.

"Katie, your mother and I will see you in the study," he said as he walked away.

"Fuck," Katie whispered and removed her bag from the trunk. Lizzie took hers out and locked the car after the trunk closed.

"You'll survive."

The two of them walked into the house, and Jen closed the door behind them. After getting hugs, she let them go upstairs, and Lizzie let her grandfather know they had made it home. She joined her husband in the study and waited on Katie. Jethro poured two glasses of bourbon and handed one to his wife. She took the glass from him. "How are we doing this?" she asked softly.

"Follow my lead," he told her and sat down in one of the leather chairs. She took a seat next to him and crossed her legs, sipping the bourbon.

Katie entered the room quietly and stared at them. She despised how they sat side by side and gave no facial expression as to how this meeting would go. That's what happened when you were the daughter of federal agents who did interrogations regularly. She took her usual spot at the base of the fireplace and sat down, waiting for one of them to speak.

"Anything you want to share, Katie?" her father asked her.

She said nothing and stared straight ahead. She had nothing to say that they didn't previously know.

"Katharine," her mother said in a composed yet unyielding tone.

Katie looked at her parents and stood up, leaning against front of the desk. "I was pulled over for speeding, but I was given a warning. I thought it would be best if Lizzie drove the rest of the way, so she did."

"A warning?" her mother asked.

"Yes," Katie replied.

"Not a ticket?" Jethro asked his daughter.

"No ticket. You can ask Lizzie. I got a warning."

"Elizabeth," Jen called out. Lizzie had been on stand by near the entryway of the study. She was ready to come to her sister's aid.

"Ma'am?" She acknowledged as she appeared in the doorway.

"Katie received a warning for speeding? No ticket?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "Correct."

"Thank you. You can go," Jen said to her but knew she would only move three feet to the right to move out of sight from the doorway.

"How did you manage a warning? You aren't one for tears." Jethro took a sip of bourbon and waited for the answer.

"He gave me a warning because he didn't want his supervisor getting a call from the Director of NCIS tomorrow morning," she spit out hurriedly and with anger.

Her parents exchanged glances and stood up. Jethro left the study and took Lizzie by the arm, leading her to the kitchen. She didn't need to hear whatever Jen planned on saying to Katie. Jen moved toward her oldest and stood in front of her, placing her hands on her upper arms. "Look at me," she told her and Katie obliged. "If my name gets you or your sister out of trouble instead of _in_ trouble, let it. It's not the end of the world if a connection works, Katharine. You're in Washington. Everything is about politics," she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "You should be grateful that I can get you out of trouble. Jasper won't ever have that luxury to use," she finished softly.

Katie nodded her head gently and gave her mother a soft yet firm hug. She took in the smell of her perfume and thought of all the things her brother hadn't been able to experience. She was lucky no matter how many times she thought she wasn't. "I didn't think of it that way," she whispered.

Jen kissed the side of her head and pulled away, smiling halfheartedly. She hadn't wanted to say that to her, but it needed to be done. "Think of it another way…your father's name would probably have gotten you _into_ trouble."

She laughed and took her mom's hand, squeezing it. "True." The pair walked out of the study and into the kitchen. The girls helped their mother with dinner while Jethro cooked the steaks. After dinner, Jen went into the study to get a head start on Monday morning while Jethro left home to go work on the boat. Katie tagged along with him after helping her sister decide what to wear for her date.

Around 8:30, Lizzie descended the stairs and was curious as to where her mother was located in the house. The study was empty, so she went back upstairs, checking the bedroom and finding her there.

Jen glanced up from the case report she was reading. "Hey sweetheart."

Lizzie checked her make-up in the mirror before walking over and sitting down on the bed. Her mother removed her glasses and noticed the wardrobe change. "Where are you going? Another blind date?"

"For coffee. No blind dates."

"With who?"

"Kristin and Allison," she told her.

"No one else?"

Lizzie leaned over to see what the case report was about, but her mother closed it in one swift move, shaking her head. "I just wanted to see whose it was, mom."

Jen's mouth curved in amusement. She put the folder on the nightstand and looked at her daughter. "You're dodging, Elizabeth."

"Well…there's a new guy working at the coffee shop. He's cute."

Jen nodded her head. "Have fun. If you need anything, call."

"Are you going to bed early?" she asked. Her mother was in her pajamas and appeared to be fighting sleep.

"I might."

Lizzie nodded her head and gave her mother a hug. "I'll be quiet when I come in. Love you," she told her. Jen nodded her head and exchanged the words of affection. Lizzie was down the stairs and out the door, meeting Tony at the coffee shop they favored fifteen minutes later. She realized she needed to have a conversation with him and was anxious about it.


	9. Chapter 9

Anthony DiNozzo waited patiently outside the coffee shop. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked for any missed calls or text messages. No text messages or missed calls. The off duty agent glanced at his watch and admitted to himself he had missed Elizabeth more than he thought he had. The sound of whistling caught his attention, and he grinned at the redhead walking towards him. He met her more than halfway and quickly decided her spoken greeting wasn't what he wanted.

"Hi yourself," he replied, slipping his arms around her small waist and pulling her against him. Lizzie grinned and allowed him to properly greet her. She gave him further permission when he parted her lips. When both needed to breathe, Tony broke the kiss, rubbing his nose against hers. "I missed you, Liz."

"I missed you too." She slipped her hand into his as they entered the shop.

"How was dinner?"

"Dinner was amazing. We had steak, baked layered polenta, and asparagus."

DiNozzo's mouth watered as he thought about the food. "Where was it ordered from?" He'd get the name of the place and order in for them one night.

Lizzie stopped and turned to him, looking up at him sideways and with eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "It wasn't take-out. Mom handled the polenta and asparagus. Daddy always cooks the steaks."

"The Director cooks?"

Lizzie laughed softly. It amused her that her mother was always referred to as the Director. "Yes, Tony…the Director cooks. Maybe you'll find yourself at Sunday dinner one of these days."

"Maybe," Tony replied, grinning. He assumed Gibbs would allow him to come to dinner then poison him for dating his daughter. He thought about _Arsenic and Old Lace. _He was sure there was a better movie reference, but he was pondering how easily Gibbs could get arsenic or any other poison. Lizzie placed her coffee order then Tony placed his coffee and dessert order, paying for it.

Lizzie took their usual spot in the corner on one of the cozy suede sofas. The corner was the perfect spot if a person or couple wanted privacy. He sat down next to her, and she burrowed herself into his side. He slipped his arm around her. Since the place wasn't very busy, their order was brought to them.

"Thanks," Tony said, taking his cappuccino.

Lizzie sat up some and took her cup of coffee. "Tony, when I said dessert…this wasn't quite what I had in mind." Within the last few seconds, she had made the decision to be blunt with her boyfriend.

"I know."

She looked up at him, sipping her coffee. "Then why are we here and not at your place? We've been dating for over a month, and we've spent quite a bit of time together. Why don't you want to go to the next level? Are you not attracted to me and don't want to hurt my feelings by telling me? I won't send my father after you."

He sighed softly and put his coffee cup down. In turn, Lizzie placed hers on the table in front of them. She was unsure if she'd like his answer as she read his body language. "No, Liz. That's not it. I'm very attracted to you," he said, taking her hands and looking into her eyes. "Lizzie, you're…special to me. I want to take things slower than I…usually do. This is a new concept for me."

She stared at him silently before a tiny smile came over her face. "Okay. I can accept that, Tony." Finally, she had an explanation. The truth was Tony didn't want to treat her like the girls in his black book, and she couldn't find fault with that.

"Anything else, Liz?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head.

He let out a sigh of relief and kissed her lips. She scooted closer to him, almost putting herself into his lap. Tony pulled her more onto his lap and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "Liz?"

"What?" she asked, sipping her coffee and putting it down.

"Last week, there was a lot of tension between your parents. Maybe it was just the case, but it seemed there was something more to it."

"What was the case?"

"A six year old boy's father was kidnapped. His name was Zach. Really smart kid. He didn't like me too much. He reminded us all of Gibbs. He stayed with Gibbs for two nights, and I don't think the Director was happy about it." He stopped talking when he felt her tense underneath his hand which was placed on her back. "Liz?"

"Tony, I had a brother."

"Had?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "He died when he was six. Last week was his eighteenth birthday."

Tony let out a deep breath, taking in the information. "How did he die?"

"Jasper was born with congestive heart failure. We thought he'd be fine, but I don't know what happened. I couldn't understand being so young, and I've never asked. He took a turn for the worse when he was four. He had a heart transplant at five," she cleared her throat. "His…body rejected the heart. The doctors did everything they could do, but…in the end it just wasn't enough."

"Liz, I'm…sorry. I didn't know."

She shook her head. "Don't apologize. You wouldn't have ever known. They don't talk about it. Mom's blamed herself for years for Jasper's death. Her side of the family has the heart problems."

Tony rubbed her back in circles softly and kissed the top of her head when she rested her head on his shoulder. "That explains the tension between them."

She nodded her head. "After his death, they changed. Daddy started with the boats, and mom threw herself into her career. I miss him. Jasper was quiet, observant, and so compassionate. I don't think he ever complained when he was sick."

Tony listened considering he had no words to say. He wasn't sure what to say. Lizzie leaned over and picked up her purse, taking a photo out of her wallet. "That's Jasper," she told him as she showed him a family Christmas photo.

"He looks like Gibbs," Tony commented. He couldn't help but wonder how different his boss would be if his son had lived. Would he be less grumpy or would his drive to get the bad guys not be there? The agent resigned his thoughts to the fact that there's a reason and purpose to everything.

The two of them enjoyed being in comfortable silence, and Tony shared his slice of cheesecake with her. After a second cup of coffee, Lizzie removed herself from her spot in Tony's lap. "Hey, let's rent a movie and go back to your place to watch."

"Any suggestions on the movie?"

"_Caddyshack_."

Tony chuckled to himself. Lizzie was the only girl he knew that would suggest watching _Caddyshack_. "We don't need to rent that one. I own it." He stood up, offering her his hand and pulling her up. The two of them left the coffee shop and went to his apartment to watch the movie. He was looking forward to the weekend. Lizzie and Katie would be moving into their apartment in Georgetown. It would be easier to see his girlfriend, and she wouldn't have to sneak out of the house. The following Friday, he found himself along with McGee, Ziva, and Abby in Director Shepard's office. She requested the team's help with moving day.

On Saturday, the girls were excited about moving into Columbia Plaza. On the other hand, their mother had mixed feelings. The nest would be empty. Now, she felt like a hypocrite considering she had convinced Jethro that it was time for the girls to move out. She was tempted to take him up on his offer of having another child. He had approved of the area because the building offered a card accessed garage and twenty four hour front desk and maintenance service. Also, they didn't mind the presence of a protection detail. Of course, the apartment appealed to Lizzie and Katie for different reasons. The polished parquet floors, closet space, individual room controlled thermostats, balcony, private terrace, and fitness facility were the bonuses to them. Also, the location of the apartment building was also pleasing; it was considered to be the heart of Washington.

Gibbs considered it to be a blessing that his wife had talked him into spending a little extra to have the apartment fully furnished. He found the task of move in day daunting without having to move furniture. Jen and the girls were inside managing all the boxes that needed to be loaded. He walked out, carrying a box and stopped in his tracks. DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva, and Abby were walking towards him.

"Morning boss!" Tony said cheerfully. The rest followed suit with greeting except for Abby who hugged Gibbs even though he held a packing box. The Goth was beyond excitement. Today, she would finally meet the Gibblets.

"Hey Abs. What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked.

"The Director asked us to report here to help with moving day," McGee informed his boss.

"Oh," Gibbs answered with a slow nod of his head. "Well, go in there…she'll tell you what to do." He wouldn't be barking orders today. Jen was running the show, and he was playing puppet.

Everyone looked at each other, unsure of who should go into the house first. None of the team had ever stepped foot in the home. Tony pushed McGee into the doorway. After all, he was the Probie. The team heard a loud crash followed by Katie's voice yelling, "Ow! Fuck! Jesus Christ! Dammit! Mom!"

"Katharine!" Jen yelled her name in disapproval of her daughter's swearing word choices. "I'll be there in a minute!" She turned to find the team and forensic scientist looking dumbfounded. Abby hadn't expected to hear those words come out of a Gibblet. Jenny smirked in amusement. "Come inside. I don't want this to take all day which is why you're here."

"Director, will we get a lunch break?" Tony asked.

"Yes…Tony, you will get a lunch break at 12," she informed him.

Lizzie shook her head as she came down the stairs. Tony was a bottomless pit. That was one of the many things she'd learned about him. "Mom, we need another box. Katie didn't tape the box good enough, and well…you heard what happened."

"Get another box, and don't let her tape it." Jen had no time to warn her daughter as a black blur ran towards Elizabeth and hugged her tightly. Lizzie was beginning to feel slightly lightheaded. She hadn't ever been hugged so tightly in her life.

Gibbs walked into the house and exchanged a glance with Jen before focusing on Abby. "Abs, let her breathe."

"Oh, right!" Abby pulled back and smiled widely. "I'm Abby. I'm finally meeting a Gibblet! I can't believe it! I was so mad at your dad because he never told me! I had no idea! Don't worry. I couldn't stay mad at him long. He's a sly silver fox."

Elizabeth's wide eyes drifted to her father. She had heard stories about Abby but had thought the hyperactivity had been exaggerated. After seeing his amusement, she mildly glared at him, but she turned to Abby, smiling. "I've heard about you. It's good to put a face with a name. I'm Lizzie. What's a Gibblet?"

"You're a Gibblet," Abby explained. "See, we had a case one time. The petty officer was screening potential mates. There was a program to see what her kids would look like with whomever. It was part of the screening process. Ziva and Tony got McGee to try it with Gibbs and the Director. And," Abby paused and turned to Gibbs. "You did make cute Gibblets with the Director."

Gibbs cracked a smile and looked over at Jen. She shrugged her shoulders and looked at the team. "DiNozzo, you're with Lizzie so are you," she finished with a look to Abby. "McGee and Ziva…you get Katie." She knew Tony and Ziva needed to be separated. They would constantly bicker, and Jethro would want to injure them if Ziva didn't murder DiNozzo first.

"Where are we going, Jenny?" Ziva asked.

"Up the stairs and walk towards the sound of flying obscenities."

McGee nodded his head and started up the stairs with Ziva. Katie's room was easy to find, and the obscenities were definitely flying. Inside the room, it looked as if a land mine had exploded.

Jen put her attention to Abby and Tony. "Lizzie's finished with all of her packing. Boxes are labeled. You'll pass them off to Jethro to put them into the car. Tony, help her find boxes. The whole house is a disaster."

Abby nodded her head and saluted the Director. "Yes, ma'am!" She left to go upstairs and figured out Lizzie's room was next to Katie's room. Abby introduced herself to Katie and chatted for a few minutes. Of course, McGee had to remind Abby to let go before Katie passed out from lack of oxygen. Lizzie and DiNozzo disappeared into the kitchen to find more boxes for Katie along with packing tape.

Jenny let out a sigh and looked at her husband. "What are you standing around for, Jethro?"

He smirked and came to stand in front of her. "You look tired, Jen."

"I am tired."

Jethro nodded his head, taking her hand and pulling her to the base of the stairs. She had stayed up late helping the girls pack and had woken up early to get started with the day. He kissed her forehead after sitting down next to her.

"Jethro, our girls are moving out."

"I know. They'll still come home."

"It won't be the same."

"We could have another Gibblet."

"Jethro," she said in warning.

He shrugged his shoulders and squeezed her hand. "Slow down. You've been running on no sleep all week. You're not me, Jen."

"Chauvinist."

Her husband smirked down at her. "Schizoid libber." He grimaced when she punched him in the shoulder. The two of them went up the stairs and into Katie's room.

In the kitchen, DiNozzo glanced around. Before he could ask his question, Lizzie answered it. "Over there. In the cookie jar." She shook her head at him as he quickly walked over and found a cereal bar. Lizzie found packaging tape, labels, and made Tony get several boxes. The small army worked together with squabbling to get the twins moved into their apartment. The guys were enjoying a beer while the girls discussed decorating. Ziva sat down between McGee and DiNozzo while Gibbs left for the front desk. His signature was missing on a document for the lease of the apartment. Ziva snatched Tony's beer from him.

"Hey! That's mine!" He attempted a Gibbs stare but failed. She took a swig and handed it back to him. "Keep it," he said, giving the bottle back to her.

"Your girlfriend hasn't called."

"What girlfriend?"

McGee looked over at him. "We aren't stupid, Tony."

"He's trying to pull the chiffon over our eyes. Yes, McGee?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Wool, Ziva. It's wool…not chiffon."

"Did you two break up?"

"No," Tony answered.

Ziva smirked at him and shook her head, putting her hands on the boys' shoulders and pushing herself up. McGee grimaced as did Tony. The Israeli had dug her bony fingers into them. "I must go." She found Jenny and the girls, telling them goodbye. She said goodbye to Gibbs as he came back into the apartment. Abby joined the boys for a beer. Gibbs wandered into Lizzie's room and watched her struggle to put the fitted sheet on her bed.

"Need help?" he offered.

"If you don't mind."

"Nah, I don't mind." He walked over to the other side of the bed and easily put the sheet on the corner. With help and instruction, the fitted sheet was on the bed minutes later. Gibbs grabbed the top sheet and watched Lizzie put it on. He sat down. "I remember when we brought you home from the hospital."

Lizzie looked over at her father. "Was it terrifying bringing both of us home?"

He shook his head. "Katie came home about a week before you. You stayed in because of breathing problems."

"Oh," Lizzie replied with a short nod of her head. She had never known and finished making her bed. Her father helped her arrange the pillows and gave her a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.

"You'll always be my little girl, Lizzie. No matter how old you get."

"I know, Daddy." She kissed his cheek and smiled at him, walking out of the room with him. The pair entered Katie's bedroom and found her being hugged by Jen. Gibbs sighed heavily, listening to his wife.

"If you don't want to stay in the apartment tonight, you can stay home one more night. Your father and I won't mind at all. You can all anytime…if you get scared or want to come back home. It doesn't matter what time, Katie."

Katie nodded her head. "Mom, I can't breathe. Lizzie and I will be fine. Promise. We'll call if we need anything."

Jen released her from the hug and sighed. "I just…it's harder letting go than I thought. When did you grow up?"

"When she came out of the womb, Jen," Gibbs answered with sarcasm while Katie grinned at him.

Jenny sighed and hugged Lizzie to her. "Same goes for you too, Elizabeth."

Gibbs put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Jenny, let's go home. Let them get settled in. Okay?"

His wife looked at him with reluctance but nodded her head. Jen walked out of the room with Lizzie. Jethro smiled at his oldest and hugged her. "I said it to Lizzie. I'm saying it to you now. You're my little girl. If you need anything, I'll always be there. No matter what." He knew the girls would be safe and wasn't worried. In the back of her mind, Jen knew it also.

The parents left their daughters to their own devices after being walked out to the car. McGee, DiNozzo, and Abby stayed behind to get to know the Gibbs girls better. The boys had added initiative to stay and visit. Abby had threatened to kill the two agents without leaving a trace of evidence if they didn't stay. By the time they all left, Abby had become quite acquainted with Katie and Lizzie. Next week, they'd most likely be at a party with Abby.


	10. Chapter 10

Three weeks later, Jenny staggered out of the bathroom shortly after 0400. She had spent the last half hour emptying the contents of her stomach. Jethro grumbled when he felt his wife fall into bed. She had landed mostly on him, and her sharp elbow hit him in the back. "Jen?" he asked with concern, pushing himself up.

"Don't ask, Jethro," she returned, completely mumbled. Her face was buried into her pillow.

He smirked, rubbing her back. "Jenny, you should take a test." He was sure he'd receive a murderous look or a threat of castration, but she rarely was sick in that way except for that time in autopsy and if she was expecting. She wasn't in autopsy, so it had to be the latter.

She turned her head towards him, giving her best Gibbs glare with her Shepard twist. "I'm not pregnant."

"Okay, you're not pregnant," he said, humoring her.

"I'm not, Jethro."

He sat up in bed and looked down at her. "Jen, I've only known you to throw up for two reasons."

"And those are?"

"In autopsy."

"That was all your fault. You had to keep describing every single damned detail." She felt queasy thinking of her first time in autopsy. Jethro had brought her breakfast and thrown it onto her desk, advising her to eat and that it would be a rough day. She hadn't known at the time it was part of his plan. He loved seeing probie agents lose their cookies their first time in autopsy.

"And when you've been pregnant."

"Your fault also."

"Just take a damn test, Jen," he responded, annoyed with the situation. She had made it clear she did not want another child especially at their age and with her current occupation. Still, that didn't mean she might not be pregnant. Sometimes, the best things in life were unexpected. They hadn't ever planned anything. They didn't plan falling in love, their girls, or their son.

"I don't need to take a pregnancy test. I know I'm not pregnant."

"Like you did with Lizzie and Katie?"

She rolled her eyes. "That doesn't count. I was young, and it was my first pregnancy."

"You're too stubborn. You know that."

"After nearly twenty-five years of knowing me, you're just now figuring that out, Jethro?"

He shook his head, rolling his eyes and looking off into space. "Dammit, Jen!" She knocked him in the head with a pillow. Before she could escape, he grabbed her by the wrist and pinned her down. "Take the day off and get a pregnancy test," he demanded softly, staring her down.

She stared at him as she struggled to get out from under him. After a few minutes, she realized she wouldn't be going anywhere until he released her. "Jethro," she said his name with exasperation.

"Please, Jenny."

He said please and Jenny which were two things that rarely come out of his mouth together. She silently nodded her head. "I'll call Cynthia at 0600 and tell her I'm not coming in."

"What else?"

"I'll pick up a test. Are you happy now?"

He smirked and gave her a kiss, rolling off her. She snatched her pillow and put it back in its place, settling back under the covers to sleep until his alarm went off at 0530. A phone call was placed to Cynthia at 0630, and she promptly set to work with rescheduling her boss's schedule for the day. Jethro left for work, stealing a goodbye kiss from his wife. Her slender arms went around his neck, kissing him back softly. "I love you. I'll see you when you get home."

"I love you too, Jenny. Call me when you find out?"

"Nope," she replied quickly. "You'll have to wait."

He smirked at her. He should have known that would be her answer. With Jethro gone, Jenny sprawled out on the bed and hogged all the cover she wanted. He left a note for Neomi, letting her know Jenny would be home all day. Noemi didn't disturb her until she came down the stairs around 1100. She was on her way into the study when she heard a key be put into the lock, and it turn over. Katie opened the door and tried not to look too shocked when she saw her mother.

"Oh, hey," she greeted sheepishly. "Why aren't you at work?"

Noemi came out of the kitchen with two bags in her hands. The bags were filled with groceries. "Here you go, Ka-," she paused, thinking Jenny was in the study. Both had been caught. Noemi's employer looked at her then looked at Katie.

"Running low on groceries at the apartment, Katie?"

She nodded her head.

"Noemi, put those back. I'll take Katie grocery shopping."

"Who are you?" Katie asked, following her mother into the study. "It's Tuesday, and you're at home. You're going to go grocery shopping. You never go grocery shopping. What in the hell is going on?"

"I wasn't feeling well this morning, and your father insisted I stay home. It won't kill me to take my daughter grocery shopping."

"You listened to him?" Katharine decided not to ask any more questions after that glare from her mother.

Before getting started with the large stack of folders, Jen's look softened as she glanced at Katie. "Let's go to lunch. I haven't seen you in a few days. We haven't done anything in a while either."

Ten minutes later, the pair left the house as did the protection detail. Katie caught her mother up on what was going on in her life. She gave a few tidbits about Lizzie. She couldn't tell her that DiNozzo was practically living with them most days of the week. Without realizing it, Katie cheered her mother up. Lunch was paid for, and it was onto grocery shopping.

In the grocery store, Jenny scanned the aisles while Katie pushed the cart and threw in whatever she pleased. Katie was telling her about her fall schedule when she realized her mother had disappeared. She found her on the next aisle over and walked down it. "I hate it when you do that," Katie stopped talking and realized what her mother was holding. "Seriously?"

Jen continued reading the box. She hadn't purchased a pregnancy test in years. "Yes, seriously. Your father thinks I might be."

"What do you think?"

"I hope I'm not."

"Mom, you can't be. You're almost 45 years old. That's five years away from 50."

Jen sighed and looked at her. "Thanks for the reminder, Katharine."

"I'm done shopping. If Lizzie isn't happy with what I got, too bad for her. I'll be your moral support when you take the test."

"Thank you," her mother answered softly and grabbed about five tests from the shelf. Katie paid for half of the groceries while Jen looked on, shaking her head. She would replace Katie's money when she wasn't paying attention or put it back into the bank account. Money wasn't a pressing concern. She and Jethro had invested well. Plus, her father and mother had set up trust funds for the girls when they were born. Lizzie and Katie would have quite the nest egg when they turned twenty-one. The drive home was quiet, and they quickly ascended the stairs, going into the master bedroom. Noemi didn't ask any questions. She simply took the grocery bags from the agents and put them away.

Katie sat on the bathroom counter and read the directions to her mother. She slid off the counter and left the bathroom, closing the door. Part of her wanted to text or call Lizzie, but she thought better of it. She'd hate to get her sister bent out of shape especially if the test turned out to be negative. Minutes later, her mother came out of the bathroom and sat down next to her.

"Well?" Katie asked, glancing at her.

"We wait."

Mother and daughter waited in silence, and both thought it was the longest two minutes of their lives. Katie tapped her nails on bed post until Jen clamped her hand over hers and mouthed for her to stop or she'd be losing that hand.

"Look on the bright side, it's not me taking the test."

"It should be you. It's not my turn anymore. I'm supposed to be a grandmother whenever that day comes."

"Lizzie will give you grandkids before I do."

"I know," her mother answered, squeezing her hand. She glanced at the time and stood up, pulling Katie up from the bed. They walked into the bathroom, and Jen picked up the test while Katie read the box.

"There will be a plus sign if you're pregnant. A negative sign will show if you're not."

Jen let out a huge sigh of relief. She was looking at a negative sign. Jethro was wrong, and she was right. Nothing pleased her more than to be right especially if he thought he was right to begin with.

"Well?" Katie asked, impatient with her mother's silence.

"Negative."

"Thank God," Katie muttered. She might have been pleased with the idea of a sibling years ago like she had been with her brother. Approaching the age of twenty-one, she wouldn't be pleased with a sibling. There would be too many risks for her mother, and she didn't want anything to happen to her.

"I know," Jen whispered and left the test on the counter.

Katie left the bathroom and went downstairs, going into the kitchen. Noemi cut her a slice of cake and put it on a plate. Noemi loved the girls as if they were her own, and she hated them not being in the house.

"Thanks," Katie replied, picking up the fork and taking a bite. Noemi set a glass of milk in front of her. The two chatted while Jenny came in and fixed a cup of coffee.

"I'll be in the study. If Jethro calls, I'm busy."

Katie smirked while Noemi simply nodded her head. Katie stayed for half an hour before getting her grocery bags and stopping at the doorway of the study. "Mom, I'm leaving."

Jenny removed her glasses and walked outside with Katie, carrying some of the grocery bags. The bags were loaded into the car. Katie hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome. Next time, go shopping before you don't have anything, so you don't have to sweet talk Noemi into getting things from here for you."

"I didn't have to sweet talk her."

Jen shook her head. "I know. She'd do anything for you and Lizzie. Probably give a kidney. I love you. Be careful and don't speed."

Katie rolled her eyes. "I love you too," she said, getting into the car and driving away.

Her mother waited until the car was out of sight before walking towards the house. She waved to the security detail and shut the door. The next hours were spent in the study, reading case reports and signing them. The large stack dwindled down to nothing before dinnertime. She was unsure of when Jethro would be home and told Neomi to leave the chicken enchiladas in the oven, promising she would eat when he arrived.

When Jethro arrived after 0700, he snuck up on Neomi as she was leaving a note about dinner. He chuckled at her when she hit him with a dishtowel. "Where's Jen?"

"Senora is upstairs."

"Have a good night, Neomi," he said as he exited the kitchen, jogging up the stairs. He entered quietly and found Jen napping on top of the covers. He smirked upon further discovery of a case report open on her stomach and her glasses still on her nose. He shook his head and carefully removed her glasses. For amusement, he would sometimes not bother taking her glasses off. She'd wake up, and the glasses would be crooked much to her annoyance. He kissed her forehead and walked into the bathroom, stopping when he noticed the pregnancy test. After squinting his eyes and reading the box, he realized his wife was right. In a way, he'd been hoping to come home and find a positive test.

"Jethro," Jen said from the doorway. She was leaning against the doorframe and looked to be half awake.

He put the test down and moved to stand in front of her. "Yeah?"

Her arms came around his middle, and she rested her head against his chest, burying herself into him. "I won't say I told you so. It must have been the take-out from that awful place Tony recommended."

He was smart enough not to take the bait she was feeding him. He simply nodded his head and rubbed her back with a sigh. He silently agreed the cause of her being sick was the food from the previous night.

She heaved a sigh and ran her fingers down the lapel of his jacket, feeling the softness of the fabric. "It's for the best."

"Are you sure, Jenny?"

"I'm certain. We're too old to start over. It should have happened years ago."

"Why didn't we?"

"I couldn't go through another nine months and have something happen later. It wasn't a risk I wanted to take." She pulled away from him, walking to the bed and sitting down.

He stared at her. After several minutes of silence, he walked over and sat down next to her, slipping his arm around her. In turn, she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know you've been entertaining the idea of having another child, but Jethro…I won't watch another child die."

Jethro nodded his head. Her mind was made up just like it had been before. He thought time might have changed her outlook, but it hadn't. "What if we adopt?"

She shook her head. "No. It's not the right time, Jethro. I'm months away from being 45 years old. You're 51! Why do I have to keep reminding you we aren't as young as we used to be? We're looking forward to grandchildren…spoiling and sending them back. Not having one of our own…naturally or adopting. With our jobs, who would give us a child to adopt?"

"But Jen…"

She lifted her head from his shoulder and clamped her hand over his mouth, looking him in the eyes. "Shut up. We're done with this issue."

He nodded his head and waited for her to remove her hand. "Yes, ma'am." He kissed her head and inhaled the scent of her shampoo. He watched her attempt to blow her bangs out of her eyes and huff when she had failed. Little things like that made him find her unbelievably adorable.

"Let's go eat dinner."

"What's for dessert?" he asked, not moving from the bed.

Jen looked over her shoulder at him as she neared the doorway. "You'll have to find out," she finished with a wink.

He smirked at her cryptic answer and stood up. She turned around and watched him silently. "Jethro?" He said nothing, glancing at her with a mischievous spark in his blue eyes.

"Jethro," she responded, backing towards the doorway. "What are you going to do? I don't like it when you get that look in your eye. It rarely turns out well for me." She bumped into the wall and cursed silently having misjudged the doorway.

"I want dessert first," he admitted, closing the distance between them and lifting her into his arms. He unceremoniously threw her onto the bed. He wasn't quick enough to stop her from exiting the other side, and she took off down the stairs. "Playing hard to get, Jenny?"

All he could hear were her giggles as he chased after her down the stairs and into the kitchen where she was on the other side of the island with a smirk on her face. "Dinner first then you can do whatever you want to me."

He debated for a few minutes and nodded his head. "Deal."

She shook her head in amusement. The way his moods changed always surprised her. His wife rarely figured out what she did to get his motor running. She was sure he'd rush through dinner to get his way.


	11. Chapter 11

After receiving a Saturday morning phone call, Lizzie ended the conversation after talking a few minutes and sat up in bed. She had several missed calls and text messages on her phone. After reading the texts and listening to the voicemails, they were all deleted. The spot next to her was empty, and she hated the emptiness. Her Friday night date with Tony hadn't turned out the way she had hoped. The pair had gone climbing, and Lizzie decided to give her boyfriend an ultimatum. If Tony beat her to the top, he would tell her he loved her. If she made it to the top before him, he still had to tell her he loved her. He ended up making it to the top before she did, but the words were lost on Elizabeth's ears. Needless to say, the date ended early. Instead of being let inside, Tony was met with a door in his face. He spent five minutes banging on the door to be let inside until Katie opened it, threatening his life. With his tail between his legs, Tony left and drove home.

Lizzie took a shower and slipped into her robe afterwards. She knocked on her sister's door and opened it after hearing nothing. There was a note on the bed, so she picked it up.

_Running with Ziva. See you when I get back. – K_

She threw the note into the trash can with a smirk on her face. Wonders never ceased. Her sister had actually woken up relatively early to go running. The running or who she was running with wasn't surprising to Lizzie, but it was the hour at which Katie had woken up. Katie and Ziva were running buddies but usually ran at night. She made breakfast for herself and ate alone. She called her sister and left her a voicemail. After getting ready for the day, Lizzie left the apartment and drove to her parents' home. She let herself in and wasn't greeted by her mother or father. "Cooper!" She was almost knocked down and was being licked in the face moments later.

"Cooper, down boy," Gibbs said firmly. The seven year old German Shepherd jumped off Lizzie and ran over to Gibbs after sniffing the bag Lizzie brought for the weekend.

Lizzie laughed softly. "I take it he's excited to be home."

"Oh yeah. Sit," he commanded and reinforced with a hand motion. Cooper sat and looked up expectantly. Lizzie walked over and knelt down, hugging the dog.

"I missed him so much." She hugged the dog to her more and scratched his ears. Cooper was hit by a car a few months ago and had been recovering at the vet since Jen and Jethro weren't able to properly monitor or take care of him because of their insane work hours. The dog was more than happy to be home and with his family. Gibbs watched the pair and noticed the bag dropped near the doorway.

Cooper's ears perked at the sound of a door closing, and he began barking. "Go get her," Lizzie said with a laugh and watched him jog to the back of the house. The woman who held his heart was Jenny. Gibbs shook his head. He had bought the dog to keep him company, but Cooper was a ladies' man that loved redheads too. Jethro examined his daughter's face. "Why the bag, Lizzie? You okay?"

"I'm fine, daddy. I just want to be here this weekend."

He nodded his head. "You sure you're okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

He nodded his head. "Want to work on the boat?" If he had a problem, working on the boat relaxed him. Plus, it might make Lizzie open up and talk to him.

However, she saw through the question. "Nice try."

A tiny smirk crossed her father's mouth. He should have known she would have seen through his question. Like him, she'd talk when she was ready and not a minute sooner. "One day, you'll want to work on the boat with me."

"It doesn't hurt to dream. Does it?" She grinned at him.

He shook his head. "It doesn't, Elizabeth. I'm going to get out of here before your mother puts me to work."

"On what?"

"She's thinking about redoing the backyard."

Lizzie laughed and shook her head. Jen would get on kicks about landscaping every so often. She'd want every aspect of the backyard changed and would think she and Jethro could do it themselves. Last time, she was unsatisfied with their work to the degree that a professional was hired to fix their landscaping. "Daddy, at least…she doesn't want to redecorate the house."

He groaned at the thought. He rarely cared for his wife's adventures in changing their home. It didn't matter what the house looked like as long as she was in it with him. "You got a point, Lizzie," he admitted as he walked to the front door. He stopped and turned around. "If you need to talk, I'm here."

She nodded her head and walked into the kitchen. Cooper was sitting on the floor, watching Jen move about the kitchen. Lizzie pulled out a chair at the island and sat down.

"Want a cup of coffee?" Her mother asked, looking over her shoulder at her. Lizzie answered with a shake of her head. "What's the matter? You're quiet."

"Did you say I love you first to daddy?"

Jen took a sip of her coffee and motioned for Lizzie to follow her outside. Cooper quickly got to his feet and followed his ladies outside, flopping down at Jenny's feet. She scratched his head and looked at her daughter. "I did say it first."

"What did he say?"

She smirked as she recalled the memory. "That'll be the day."

"Why?"

"I have no idea. I've never asked him. I decided not to say it again to him after that. A week later, he told me he loved me. We were spending the weekend together and were checking out the little shops when it started raining. We ran for cover underneath the awning of a café."

"And?" Lizzie asked with keen interest. She loved hearing these stories about her parents. Of course, she always heard them from her mother. Her father wasn't one for words, but he was romantic so she learned.

"He kissed me then told me he loved me."

Lizzie sighed heavily and took a sip of her mother's coffee. Cooper nudged his head underneath her hand and looked up at her. She smiled softly at the dog and rubbed his ears.

"It doesn't matter who says it first, Lizzie. What matters is if those words get returned. The person who says it first doesn't have any issues. They haven't had their heartbroken…or if they have, they're willing to give it again. It may take time for the other person to say it. Give them time, honey." Before she could ask why the question had been asked, Cooper started barking but stopped when Gibbs told him to be quiet. Jen looked at her husband. "Forget something?"

"Make a list. I'll pick up whatever you want for the backyard."

The smile on her face was smug as she handed him the list. She had written down everything while the coffee was making. He smirked and took the list from her, leaning down and kissing the side of her face. "If you need anything else, call."

"That'll be the day," Lizzie said, looking at her father.

He raised an eyebrow and stared into his wife's eyes. "You told her?"

"She asked, Jethro."

Jethro shook his head and stuffed the list into his pocket. On his way out, he ruffled Lizzie's hair which she hated. She rolled her eyes and petted the dog. "Is it okay if I stay here this weekend?"

"You don't have to ask. You are always welcome, Lizzie. It's still your home."

Lizzie removed herself from her seat and hugged her mother tightly. The reaction wasn't what her mother had been expecting, but she enjoyed the hug until hearing muffled sobs.

"Lizzie?" Her question was met with more sounds of muffled crying, and her daughter burying her face into her more. "Honey," Jen coaxed while rubbing her back. "Talk to me, please."

Minutes later, Lizzie pulled away as she wiped at her eyes, and the anguish in her eyes made her mother's heart ache. "Nothing…just a stupid boy. That's all."

Jen nodded her head in understanding and tucked Lizzie's red hair behind her ears. "Want some ice cream? That's the best medicine." She knew better than to ask any questions. Her daughter was old enough to handle her romantic troubles. Jen would only interfere if asked. Instead of spending her day in the backyard, she and Lizzie took up residence in the den with ice cream and movies for the day. Jethro returned home and found his girls with tissues and crying over a sappy movie. He quickly unloaded all the items from his shopping trip and left to go work on the boat. There was too much estrogen and crying for him, but he realized his daughter was having boy trouble. If he needed to break a few bones, he would. It didn't appear that Lizzie's heart was completely broken, so no one would have to be put in a full body cast or body bag.

A weekend at home with her mother and father was the best medicine for Elizabeth. She ignored Tony's phone calls and immediately deleted the voicemails he left. After Sunday dinner, she returned to the apartment. Shortly after both siblings returned home, Katie left to go bowling with Abby. Lizzie didn't feel like going and promised Abby she'd go next time. There was a light knock at the door. On the other side, Tony let out a shaky breath. He had no idea what would happen when the door opened. He knew he had to see her and attempt to make things right. He stared into Lizzie's eyes when she opened the door, and he could see the hurt he'd put there.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Can I come in?"

Lizzie moved out of the doorway and walked into the apartment, allowing him to come inside. She wished she could have slammed the door in his face. "What are you doing here, Tony?"

"I left a few messages. You've had me worried all weekend."

"You left twenty messages. That's more than a few, and I'm fine."

"I'm not getting that feeling from you, Liz," he responded as the door closed. He looked around the apartment and realized Katie was nowhere in sight. There was a silver lining.

She turned around, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at him. Tony almost winced at the iciness of her stare. He'd seen Director Shepard use that look a time or two. He knew the effects.

"I was going to bring flowers."

"I don't see any flowers."

"Well, I didn't want to stop. I wanted to see you, so I should...have stopped and brought you flowers. Liz…is this about what I didn't say?"

She nodded her head and wiped at her eyes. "I've said it. You haven't said it to me, Tony."

"I have said it!"

"Love ya is not the same as I love you! I love you comes from the heart. I don't want to hear it after we've slept together. I want to hear it because you mean it and want to tell me you love me, Tony." She stopped talking and stared at him. She felt as if she was wasting her time explaining this to him. "Please, don't say it now."

"What if I mean it, Liz?"

"I don't think you do. I love you. I've fallen for you. You need to figure out if you feel the same way."

"I don't want to hurt you," he said sincerely. He did love her, but he couldn't say it to her before. He was ready to say it now, but she didn't want to hear it. He never had the greatest timing.

"Tony, leave. Go…I don't want to see you until you figure things out."

He made a step toward her, but she put her hand up, looking at him with teary blue green eyes. "Don't. Please, go."

Tony swallowed hard and nodded his head. "I'll go, Liz." He turned on his heels and took a deep breath, walking to the door and leaving. He closed his eyes and leaned against the door, listening to Lizzie's muffled cries. He never wanted to hurt her, but he had done it. If he could travel back in time, he would change Friday night.


	12. Chapter 12

DiNozzo ran a hand through his hair and buried his face into his hands, jumping seconds later after hitting the horn of the steering wheel with his elbow. He let out a deep breath and shook his head. To say the last few days had been rough would be a drastic understatement. The lives of three agents had been lost. NCIS Special Agents Hall, Nelson, and Cassidy met death the same way but on different days. All three had lost their lives to a suicide bomber and had been too young to die. He couldn't let go of the feelings surrounding their deaths. They should have been working this weekend. It wasn't in the cards for him, McGee, Ziva or Gibbs to lose their lives. He cleared his throat and replayed Paula Cassidy's words in his mind.

_You know, Tony, it's a cliché, but it is true. Life is too short not to tell someone you love them if you do…and you do._

Paula was right. Life was too short to be afraid. Life was too precious to be scared to say three words, and he had been an idiot not to say them before. Tony had not seen his girlfriend if he could still call her that in a week. One of his regrets was it taking the death of someone close to him to realize what he needed to say to Elizabeth Gibbs yet Anthony DiNozzo was grateful to be alive to say it. If he had died, Lizzie would have never known how he felt about her. He opened the car door and stepped out, locking it. He didn't need liquid courage, but it had taken him over a half hour to open the door of his Mustang.

Fifteen minutes later, Lizzie thought she heard the sound of a faint knock at the door. Lizzie put her paint brush down and picked up the remote, lowering the volume of the stereo. Someone knocked harder. If Katie had forgotten her key again, she would scream at her sister. Lizzie despised being disturbed when she was painting. Her mood wasn't in the best sorts considering she was unsure of her place in Tony's life. She wiped her hands on her black tank top and walked to the door, opening it. Her breath hitched slightly at the sight of him, and she couldn't find the words to greet him.

"I love you, Liz."

Before she could return the words, he cupped her face and put his lips over hers. When air was needed, he broke the kiss and hugged her tightly. Lizzie let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around him. She knew what had happened in the last days. Tony buried his face into her shoulder and took in the scent of her shampoo, scents of berry tea and orange flower hitting his nostrils. She pulled away and stroked his face softly. Without saying a word, she was comforting him. Lizzie gently took him by the hand and led him inside the apartment. He sat down on the sofa, and she curled up next to him. "Do you need anything?"

"Just you."

She squeezed his hand. Tony reached up and lightly touched her ear. He noticed a spot of purple paint on her earlobe. "Liz, how did you get paint there?"

Lizzie merely shrugged her shoulders. "Don't you know artists are messy?"

He shook his head. "Not messy…adorable."

She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I missed you. I'm glad you came back," she confessed, resting her head on his chest.

"Liz, I'm sorry it took so long."

Before he could apologize or explain more, her slender index finger was place over his lips. "I waited for you, Tony. I would have waited another week if that's what it would have taken. I love you," she finished, her eyes meeting his. Her mother's words had been taken to heart. She wouldn't play any more games with him. He had passed enough tests.

"I love you too, Liz. Go back to painting. I want to watch you."

She giggled slightly. "Why? It's nothing exciting to see."

"Please?"

"If you insist," she replied, getting up from her spot on the couch. Tony settled back onto the couch, placing a pillow behind his head. Lizzie turned the volume up on the music and resumed her painting. As usual, she lost all track of time and didn't look away from her painting until nearly two hours later. She smiled gently at the sight of her boyfriend sound asleep on the couch. After several failed attempts to wake him, Lizzie was extremely tempted to leave him. Tony rolled over onto his side, mumbling. "Oh, what the hell," Lizzie mumbled. She gave him a swift smack to the back of the head.

Tony's eyes jerked opened, and he almost fell off the couch. "I'm awake, Boss! On your six!"

Lizzie bit her lip as she tried not to laugh at him, but the giggle bubbled over, spilling into the room. Tony sleepily glanced up at her. "C'mon, let's go to bed."

He sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "That flick of the wrist runs in the family."

When he stood up, she slipped her arm around his waist. "Truthfully, I didn't think it'd work."

Tony yawned and walked with her towards the bedroom. "That was a better way to be woken up than what Gibbs actually does."

"I don't want to know."

"Yeah, you really don't," he muttered and admired the view of Lizzie bent over, digging through the bottom drawer considered to be his. She was looking for one of his t-shirts to sleep in. "But Liz," he began to whine.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not wearing what you want me to wear."

He stuck his lips out in a pout, and she walked over to stand in front of him. "If you don't wear what I want you to wear, how about nothing?"

"How old are you again?" she asked because the pouty expression remained on his face.

"Five years old. I'm big for my age."

"I agree," she replied, walking into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she came out with no make-up on her face and in one of his NCIS t-shirts along with a pair of underwear. Tony did a double take. This had to be love considering he found her unbelievably more sexy in his shirt than in something lacy or silky and lacking fabric. He had a smile on his face when she slid into bed next to him, cuddling close to him and sticking her cold toes underneath his legs. After a goodnight kiss, the couple drifted into sleep.

He and Lizzie continued their relationship for the next months. The relationship had fallen into a comfortable pace and still remained secret. It was easy with Lizzie. She had expectations of him but didn't get bent out of shape if he fell below those expectations. They were happy with each other, and Lizzie planned on asking him to Sunday dinner to let her parents know. She was tired of hiding. The anxiety and cold feet about it still plagued her.

After a long day and jurisdiction struggle with the FBI, the team had been told to go home after 2100. Tony had made a quick stop at his place to change clothes and get a few other things. Now, he was on his way to Lizzie's apartment. He had a sick girlfriend to take care of even though she had told him to stay away. Lizzie didn't want him getting sick with her cold. Apparently, a definite way to catch a cold was to have a flat tire in the rain and snow and wait over an hour for your father to change the tire. Tony parked his car and was knocking on the door several minutes later. The cold stricken Lizzie blew her nose and threw away the tissue, getting up from the couch. She had skipped her classes and made the sofa her home for the day. She opened the door and shook her head.

"Tony, I told you to stay away from me," she said, congested.

"See, I have this problem…I can't stay away. Besides, I brought chicken soup, movies, and apple juice." He slid by her in the doorway and placed the movies and bag on the bookcase in the small foyer of the apartment. He removed his Ohio State jacket, hanging it up in the closet.

"Tony," Lizzie said, still standing at the door with her voice sounding as if she were about to discipline an unruly child.

"You shouldn't argue. It's bad for your cold." He closed the closet door and grabbed the bag, going into the kitchen.

She sighed and closed the door, locking it. She was too sick and miserable to argue. Still, she didn't want him catching her dreadful cold.

"Liz, grab the movies and get back on the couch," Tony told her from the kitchen.

"Okay," she responded before breaking into a coughing fit. She took the movies off the bookcase and placed them on the entertainment center, flopping onto the couch and burying herself underneath the blankets moments later.

He heated up the chicken soup and poured her a glass of apple juice. He brought it to her. "Taken your medicine?"

She nodded her head and took the bowl from him once she sat up. "Thank you. I'm glad you're here."

"Careful. It's hot." He placed the apple juice on a coaster and kissed her forehead, sitting down. "Where else would I be?"

She shrugged her shoulders and settled back against the couch cushions. "I don't know. Maybe out at a party like Katie." Her sister had left a half hour ago to go to a party at a friend's house. She probably wouldn't come back home until tomorrow.

"I'd rather be with you."

She smiled softly. "Even with the boxes of kleenex and coughing?"

"There's _Casablanca_ too," he said, putting the DVD into the player. He joined her on the couch and let her rest against him. As the movie started, she finished the bowl of soup, and he took it from her to place it on the coffee table. He removed his shoes and got comfortable on the couch. Since he changed positions, Lizzie had to get comfortable again. She snuggled herself in-between him and the cushions, resting her head on his chest. Tony's arm went around her, rubbing her shoulder blade.

"Cold?" he asked. She was wearing a black camisole and pajama pants.

"A little," she answered, tracing the letters of the Ohio State sweatshirt he was wearing. She thought he represented his alma mater too much, but she kept quiet. In response, Tony pulled the blanket around her shoulders more and kissed the top of her head.

"That's better," she said, smiling up at him. "Do me a favor?"

He nodded his head, waiting for her to ask the favor.

"Don't quote the movie."

"But Liz," he whined.

"Please?"

"Only because it's you."

She leaned up slightly, kissing his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You know, I'm glad you weren't sick last week."

"Me too," she said. Last week, she and Katie turned twenty-one on November 8th. She wouldn't have been happy about being sick with a cold during her birthday. They both went quiet after the movie began. _Casablanca_ was one of their favorites to watch together. He'd also brought _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ and a James Bond movie she probably wouldn't want to watch especially since she made the request of no quoting.

Around midnight, Tony noticed the change in Lizzie's breathing. He looked down and smiled. She was sound asleep. He rubbed her back and watched the final scene of the movie, quoting it word for word and barely above a whisper. Twenty minutes later, he carefully removed himself from underneath her and managed to not wake her. He lifted her up and carried her into the bedroom, placing her under the covers. She only mumbled in her sleep, and he kissed her forehead. In the living room, he cleaned up the clutter and placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher before joining Lizzie in bed. He kept a few changes of clothes, toothbrush, soap, and shampoo at the apartment if he stayed over. She had the same items at his placed if she stayed over. He fell asleep a few minutes after getting into bed with his arms around her.

At 0945, Tony awoke with Lizzie making use of him as a body pillow. Her head was on the middle of his chest, her arm flung over him, and one of her legs was tangled with his own. He couldn't ever figure out how she turned herself into a small pretzel during sleep. He twisted his mouth in thought, attempting to figure out how to remove his body from hers without waking her. She wasn't a morning person unless coffee and breakfast were waiting on her. He planned on bringing her breakfast in bed. He lifted her arm to move it but quickly stopped. Her knee was moving up dangerously close to a gentle area. He let out a sigh of relief when she stopped moving. As soon as he tried moving her arm a second time, the leg moved also. Clearly, moving her arm wasn't going to work unless he wanted the jewels to be injured. Time for Plan B.

"Liz," he whispered and stroked her hair, pulling gently and hoping the action would cause her to move.

She murmured and removed herself off his body, wallowing into his side. He had a minute or less before she'd resume the previous position. Lizzie was a notorious cuddler. He quickly and quietly got out of bed and went to the bathroom to begin his morning routine before starting breakfast. When he emerged out of the bathroom, Lizzie was peering at him with sleepy blue green eyes. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to make breakfast."

She shook her head. "Back in bed," she murmured, burying herself under the covers. "And cuddle me."

"Keep my side of the bed warm while I make breakfast. You're getting the DiNozzo special."

"You said that on my birthday…wasn't all that special," she commented with a sly, sleepy grin.

"Hey!" He shook his head. She could still fire quips in a half asleep state.

"It was special…but this morning's DiNozzo special better involve coffee," she informed him, giving him a light kiss and allowing him not to get back into bed.

He walked out of the room and looked back to her at the doorway. She had fallen back to sleep. He heard a key be put into the front door and assumed it was Katie coming in from her night of partying although early for her to be coming in. He wasn't worried about only being in his boxers. Katie had seen him plenty of times. He was practically their roommate some weeks. He was halfway across the living room when the person entered the apartment. His eyes widened, and he stood there frozen. Katie hadn't been the one to enter the apartment.

"DINOZZO!" Jennifer Shepard-Gibbs was surprised she could formulate anything much less shriek out a name. Why was Anthony DiNozzo in her daughters' apartment wearing only boxers? She didn't expect to find a male in the apartment. She had expected to find Lizzie asleep then planned on taking care of her.

He quickly snatched a throw off the couch and wrapped it around his waist, staring at Director Shepard. The two stared at each other in silence. Both were unsure of what to say.


	13. Chapter 13

Lizzie emerged from the bedroom, scratching her head and yawning. "Tony, I think the medicine is making me hear things…I thought I heard my…" She stopped her sentence and stared at her mother in the foyer of the apartment. Was she hallucinating? She really needed to make sure she was taking the right dosage of medicine.

"Avril Elizabeth!"

"Okay…I did hear my mother's voice," Lizzie mumbled under her breath as her mother stared at her. At least, Jenny deduced from her daughter's appearance that they hadn't slept together last night. She would make sure Anthony DiNozzo never enjoyed the pleasure of another female if he had sex Lizzie. Luckily for him, she did not have her weapon on her, and she rarely carried a knife with her. It usually didn't fit into her wardrobe choices. However, Jenny's mind flashed back to a scene of the agent entering her office and needing her advice.

_She had been pacing in front of her desk looking over a file when the door to her office opened. She turned and saw that it was Agent DiNozzo. He stood in the doorway, waiting for permission to enter. "Come on in," she told him, placing the file on her desk as he walked inside. He sat down on the conference table and crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a nervous sigh._

"_I take it this isn't a social call," she said. _

"_I need some advice."_

"_And you came to me?" _

"_Well, it was either you or Gibbs," he said to her. He couldn't imagine going to the boss for relationship advice even if he had been married for over twenty years. He felt more comfortable asking Jenny. He trusted her and vice versa. The trust had been established between them with the La Grounille assignment. She seemed pleased, honored, and amused that he chose her to ask for advice. She sat down on the front of her desk and cleared her throat, urging him to begin. "So… I'm finding um…myself in a particularly odd situation with…someone…special." Tony left out that the someone special was her youngest daughter._

"_Odd?"_

_He grinned nervously and uncrossed his arms. "Odd, yeah. Odd. Because we've been going out for over a month and w-we haven't done something that…I usually do uh, you know, a lot…a lot earlier than that. _

"_And may I ask what it is that's holding you back from doing what you…usually do? _

"_Yeah," he crossed his arms back over his chest and crossed his feet. "Um… because of the particular importance of this person, I thought it would be a good idea to take things slowly…which is kind of a new concept for me…but at a certain point things have to speed up. R-Right?" He finished with a strained expression on his face. _

"_Are you attracted to her?" _

"_Oh…yeah. Yeah." _

"_Is she attracted to you?" She smiled somewhat, remembering how Jethro had taken things slow with her in the beginning. "So what's the problem?" _

_Before he could answer, his cell phone began ringing. It was Ziva with information about the case. He had to leave, and Jenny told him good luck. He left her office, leaving her to wonder who he was dating._

Now, she realized who he had been dating. If she had known it was Lizzie, she would have castrated him then and may have guided him differently in her advice giving.

She was uncertain if she was grateful they were in a relationship rather than it being a one night stand.

"Avril Elizabeth Gibbs," she began.

"Mother," Lizzie shot back, getting ready for whatever was yet to come.

"I think I'll let you two talk," Tony said, starting to retreat from the room. He didn't want to be in the room with two redheads and those tempers.

"Maybe you should get dressed, Agent DiNozzo," Jen said to him in her Director tone.

"This is my apartment…not NCIS," Lizzie told her.

Her daughter did have a point, but she could still exert her authority if she damn well pleased. "He is an NCIS agent. I am his boss, Elizabeth!"

"And I'm your daughter! It's my life! We are not in the Washington Navy Yard! You aren't Director Shepard right now! You're my mother!"

Jenny sighed heavily and stared at her. When did she grow up? And why did her daughter have to be like Jethro and agree that she had multiple personalities? She was tired of hearing the differences between Jenny, Jen, Director Shepard, and mom. She was all the same person. She shook her head. "Lizzie, how long has this been going on with him?"

"Since this summer…after I got the recommendation letters from you," she answered, sitting down on the couch.

Jen sighed, almost not believing the relationship could have flown under the radar for so long. Why couldn't it? She and Jethro kept secrets. Of course, their daughters would have that talent also. She sat down on the couch next to Lizzie. "Why didn't you tell me? You've always told me everything."

"I wasn't ready to tell you. If I told you, then I'd have to tell Daddy," Lizzie explained, looking at her mother.

"You_ are_ going to have to tell your father."

Lizzie made a face at the thought. The reality of telling her parents was here, and she was retracting her thought of thinking it had been a good idea. She'd rather tell her father she was dropping out of school and joining the circus. "Can't…you tell him?

"Oh no…I do not think so," Jen said, shaking her head. "Not me…you, Lizzie. It's your life which means you get to tell him."

"But you are so much better at telling him things…good or bad…and this is probably bad in his opinion."

"He may take it better than you expect. It'll be coming from you. It's not like he'll walk into your apartment to find one of his agents standing in the middle of the living room wearing only boxers," she replied with slight sarcasm.

"Sorry about that!" DiNozzo shouted from the bedroom.

Lizzie laughed softly and smiled. Jen shook her head, laughing softly. She looked at her daughter's face and saw the look. "Do you love him, Lizzie?" She had the feeling she knew the answer.

"I do. I really do love him," she admitted.

She smiled softly, remembering what it was like to be fresh in love. Lizzie had dated since she was fifteen but never anything too serious except when she was seventeen. Her heart had been broken. "Lizzie, I know you're special to him. He's taking things slow for two reasons…you have a special place in his heart, and he isn't used to feeling this way about anyone."

Lizzie nodded her head and was silent for a few minutes. "So…you'll tell daddy?"

"No, you'll tell him at Sunday dinner…when you bring Tony."

"I…but mom…"

"Don't be late to dinner, Elizabeth."

She shut her mouth, knowing she had a snowball's chance in hell of convincing her mother to tell her father that she was dating one of their agents. "Okay, we'll be there."

"Good. Now, I guess I'll leave…and let you two get back to…whatever you were doing…"

Lizzie laughed at the expression on her mother's face. "We didn't sleep together last night…but we have. Don't worry, we take all the precautions. He came over after work last night and took care of me since Katie abandoned me."

"Where is Katie?" Jenny asked, looking in the direction of Katie's bedroom. She assumed she was sleeping.

She shrugged her shoulders. "She went to a party last night…over at Ashley's. She's probably still over there."

Jen nodded her head. She knew her daughters went to parties and had their fun. She and Jethro had raised them to make responsible choices like not driving while under the influence. Katie wouldn't find herself in interrogation before Sunday dinner. She stood up and kissed the top of her daughter's head. "I love you. If you need anything, call me. I won't hang around. You seem to be in good hands."

Lizzie nodded and stood up, giving her mother a hug. "I love you too…and thanks for taking it well," she said, walking her to the door. "Mom, why did you come over?"

"My little girl's sick. I was going to take care of you," Jen explained with a gentle smile, taking Lizzie's hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. "Don't keep anymore secrets from me, please."

"No more secrets," Lizzie told her and watched her leave, closing the door.

Tony stuck his head out of the bedroom door to see if the coast was clear. Lizzie laughed at him. "It's safe. She's gone."

He nodded and stepped out. He had taken a quick shower and changed clothes. He walked over to Lizzie and laced his fingers with hers, placing light kisses over her knuckles. "Well, do I have to change my name and relocate?"

"Not yet. You might have to after tomorrow," she said, removing her hands from his and walking into the kitchen. She needed coffee and something to take her mind off tomorrow.

"Tomorrow…what's happening tomorrow?" he asked, following her quickly.

"You and I are going to Sunday dinner, and we're telling _him_."

He swallowed hard. Gibbs would be told tomorrow. Tomorrow would most likely be Anthony DiNozzo's last day on this earth. "Well," he cleared his throat causing Lizzie to turn her head and look at him as she turned the coffeemaker on.

"What?"

"I know how I want to spend my last day of life. I should probably make a will. I need to make a list."

"Tony, he's not going to kill you." She hoped he wouldn't. Of course, she could jump in between her boyfriend and father if he decided to hurt Tony. He wouldn't harm her, but he had been a sniper. The idea of being a human shield quickly flew out the window.

"Just in case, I want to spend all day with you," he said, putting his arms around her as he came to stand behind her. Lizzie leaned back into his arms with a smile on her face.

When his wife arrived home less than two hours later, Jethro was more than a little surprised. He expected to have the house to himself for most of the day. He planned on tackling the never-ending list of repairs and errands Jen left for him. Jethro removed his glasses and put the paper down, watching Cooper bolt out of the den to meet his mistress at the door.

"Hey Coop," Jen greeted, scratching his ears. "Where's Jethro?"

Gibbs emerged from the den and leaned against the door. "You're back early."

"So observant, Jethro," she replied and hung up her coat in the closet.

His trademark smirk graced his mouth. "Thought you'd be gone all day."

She closed the closet door and made a lousy attempt at not blushing as she thought about the reason why she was home earlier than expected. "Lizzie had company."

He slowly nodded his head, catching the shade of his wife's cheeks. "What kind of company?"

"The male kind, Jethro," she answered, walking into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Cooper was on her heels and hoping to get a treat.

He chuckled, thinking of what Jenny had walked in on. His blue eyes widened as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Jenny said male company. "Male…wait…what, Jenny?" Gibbs was also on her heels and came to stand in the middle of the kitchen, watching her pour of a cup of coffee and throw a treat to the dog.

"You'll meet him tomorrow. She's bringing him to dinner," she answered with her back to him.

"What do you know about this guy?"

"Jethro," she said, conveying her voice for him to drop the subject.

"Jen," he said with exasperation. Obviously, she had met the guy in his youngest daughter's life that he knew nothing about. "You know more than you're telling me."

"Jethro, you will meet him tomorrow."

He narrowed his eyes at her and grabbed his cell phone off the counter.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, do not call Elizabeth."

Her husband smirked and opened his cell phone. Cooper looked back and forth at his owners from his dog pillow in the corner of the kitchen.

"You will not stake out the apartment nor will Ziva or DiNozzo, give the third degree to Katie, or get McGee, Abby or anyone else to hack into the security system. Also, no background checks will be run after you meet him tomorrow. Are we clear, Jethro?" Jen put her mug down, crossed her arms over her chest, and cocked her hip to the side along with raising an eyebrow. She dared him to make the phone call.

He grumbled under his breath and tossed his phone onto the counter, backing down from the fight. When Jen did that stance and particular eyebrow raised glare, she meant business. She would hit him where it hurt the most which meant cutting him off in the bedroom. Like most husbands, he didn't enjoy his supply not being supplied. He wasn't thrilled about the Sunday dinner guest. Jethro rarely liked surprises involving his daughters. He walked over to stand in front of Jen, putting his arms about her waist. "I won't do anything," he promised, kissing her forehead. He didn't know how surprised he would be, but he knew the impatience of waiting to find out would eat him alive.


	14. Chapter 14

Out of habit, Gibbs woke up at 0700 even though it was Sunday. He rubbed a hand over his face and a glimmer of a smile crept over his face as he realized he'd have slight trouble getting out of bed. Jenny's head was resting on his chest, and she was using him as a body pillow. His fingers found her red locks, playing in her hair before kissing her head. "Jenny," he whispered.

She murmured in her sleep and moved her head onto his shoulder, keeping her green eyes shut.

"Want coffee?"

"I want sleep."

"Coffee's better."

"Not when I want to sleep late," she muttered and rolled over, settling herself onto her side of the bed.

Her husband smirked and slipped out of bed, throwing on a well worn NIS t-shirt. In two hours, he'd come back into the bedroom and get her out of bed whether she liked it or not. He padded into the bathroom for his morning routine then down the stairs. His first stop would be to get the paper from the doorstep, and the second stop would be into the kitchen for coffee. Despite the cold weather, the final stop would be on the back patio to read the paper and enjoy the noises of the morning. He opened the front door and furrowed his brows. In a small heap and curled into a tight ball, Katie was asleep on the steps. He shook his head and bent down. "Katharine," he said sharply.

Katie's eyes jerked open. The morning light didn't help the pounding of her head. "Oh God," she muttered.

"Should I even ask?"

"What?" she asked, sitting up and putting a hand to her head. She was quickly learning that being hungover was nothing to brag about to your peers or parents especially the latter.

"C'mon," her father spoke gently as he grabbed under her arm and pulled her up. Gravity wasn't her friend, and she felt woozy on her feet.

"Daddy."

"I gotcha." In seconds, his arm was around her waist tightly. She leaned against him and closed her eyes as he took her into the warmth of the house. In the kitchen, he sat her down and put a glass of water in front of her along with two aspirin. "You'll need those."

"Thanks." Katie popped the aspirin into her mouth and took a drink of water.

"Did you learn anything?" he asked, sitting down across from her and sipping his coffee.

"I don't have a tolerance for bourbon." Next time, she would rethink going out with the guys and drinking what they drank.

"It'll grow on ya."

She smirked and looked at him in all seriousness. "Don't think so. I'm going to crash."

"I think your bed would be a better place than the doorstep."

Katie mildly glared at him, but he was right. Her father was almost always right. She shook her head and walked out of the kitchen only to reappear moments later. "Daddy?"

He looked up from his coffee cup. "Yeah?"

"Mind if we keep this between us?"

"If that's what you want." He watched her walk away from him, letting her think she was in the clear. "Katie, I want answers later."

She winced at the thought of an interrogation from him especially when she was fighting a hangover. The only positive aspect was not getting the third degree from both parents. Gibbs chuckled as he stood up and walked to the front door to retrieve the paper, hoping he wouldn't find Lizzie on the doorstep. He tucked the paper under his arm and adjusted the bottom of his flannel pajama pants as he walked to the patio. He sat down and took a sip of his coffee. If Lizzie hadn't gone out with Katie, she had other plans. Plans with that boyfriend he knew nothing about. He threw the paper onto the table and was in the master bedroom minutes later, poking Jen in her side.

Jen groaned and smacked his head. "Jethro!"

He continued poking her in the side like a five year old begging for his mother's attention. She opened one eye with a murderous look coming over her features. "If you intend to keep that hand and those fingers, I suggest stopping."

"Jen, this is serious."

She mumbled under her breath and sat up, drawing her knees to her chest. "What?"

"If Katie didn't have plans with Lizzie, that means Lizzie had plans with that damned boyfriend."

"Is this really why you woke me up?"

He nodded his head. "Katie is here...in her bed! She didn't go back to the apartment."

Jen stared at her husband. Was he really a NCIS agent? A child could put that together. "Your point, Jethro."

"Katie didn't go back to the apartment because she knew she'd be interrupting. That bastard has deflowered my little girl!"

She buried her head into her knees and stifled laughter. Jethro would believe Elizabeth was a virgin. Slowly, she lifted her head up and leaned over, holding her husband's wrist and looking into his eyes. "Honey, I hate to tell you this...but Lizzie hasn't been a virgin for quite some time now."

"WHAT!" His blue eyes intensified. "Some other bastard deflowered my little girl? Who, Jen? Who did it? I'll hunt him down."

"JETHRO! She was 18 for God's sake! Calm down!" She shook her head, mumbling and burying herself under the covers.

"Jenny!"

She felt like hitting him over the head with the lamp or calling Ducky for a bottle of Xanax to spike her husband's coffee. It was going to be a long day until he met Lizzie's boyfriend. She heaved a sigh and looked at her husband. "Jethro, there are some things that a daughter does not feel comfortable talking with her father about. Also, I don't think you would have been comfortable if Lizzie or Katie had come to you about their first time."

"Katie isn't a virgin!?!"

"No, Jethro. Go downstairs, drink another cup of coffee, and calm down. Do not wake me up unless the house is on fire."

He mumbled and removed himself from the bed, trudging out of the bedroom. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs, stop pouting!" Jen warned as she fluffed her pillow. Jethro only grumbled and walked downstairs to sulk and wait impatiently. Today would be his day of waiting. He had to wait for his wife to get out of bed. If he woke her up a third time, Jenny might send a stiletto to his head. He had to wait for dinner. He had to wait to meet Lizzie's boy toy. Patience had never been one of his virtues. At least, Cooper kept him company while waiting for Jenny to start her day.

To get him out of the house and to not wear a hole through her favorite rug, his wife dragged him out of the house to go grocery shopping. He was not a help in the grocery store at all. She decided to change the menu to give Jethro something to focus on. Instead of lasagna, dinner would be steaks. Jen didn't care if he froze to death grilling steaks in November. As long as he stopped asking her what time Lizzie would be getting to dinner and a million other questions, she might have peace until then she would continue counting to ten. Jethro wouldn't die by her hand considering he decided to work on the boat. In silence, Jen was enjoying a cup of coffee in the kitchen when she heard a loud clattering from the stairs. Cooper lifted his head and perked his ears forward, immediately seeking out the cause of the disturbance.

Katie entered the kitchen and plopped down next to her mother, taking her cup of coffee. Jen smirked and shook her head. "I didn't hear you come in last night."

"I didn't come in."

Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't make it past the steps."

"In that case, I hope you don't catch pneumonia."

"That's all you're going to say?"

"No," she replied nonchalantly. "I also hope you learned a valuable lesson."

"Mom, are you feeling okay?"

"Katharine, you're 21 years old. Some things you aren't going to take my word for...you are going to have to live and learn."

Katie cleared her throat and gently put her hand to her mom's forehead. Jen laughed and pushed her daughter's hand away. "I'm serious, sweetheart. If I had told you that a hangover was not something you ever wanted, would you have believed me without finding out for yourself?"

"Probably not."

"Exactly."

Katie was unsure of what to think about her mother's new parenting philosophy. She didn't dislike it, but she would need time to get used to it. At the moment, Katie wasn't going to analyze. She took the offer of a roast beef sandwich willingly and let Jen mother her. Thanks to Lizzie, Jen realized her girls had grown up. As much as she wanted, she couldn't keep them under her thumb. After lunch and a shower, Katie felt better but still not 100%. She called her father at 1500 to let him know he needed to be home by 1600. Dinner was at 1800, but Lizzie was coming around 1700.

As soon as Gibbs entered the house, Jen ushered him up the stairs to take a shower and get dressed. "Why do I have to shower? I'm clean."

"Jethro, you've been working on that boat. You need to shower and change into the clothes on the bed."

"You picked out my clothes?"

"Jethro!"

"Okay, I'll change into the clothes you picked out."

She grabbed his wrist, and he looked at her. "Jethro," she said softly and stood in front of him, resting her hands on his chest. "Don't make this difficult. Lizzie's nervous about your reaction. I'd like for you to be on your best behavior. Please."

He sighed softly and nodded, kissing his wife's forehead. "I'll be a good boy."

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Now, go shower." She watched him walk up the stairs and hoped he would be on his best behavior. Her husband's intentions could go out the window when he learned the identity of the boyfriend.

In the car, Lizzie fidgeted with her ring and glanced over at Tony. He smiled at her. He felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest. He was driving to meet the grim reaper, and the grim reaper was named Gibbs. He was so nervous he couldn't think of a movie reference. At a red light, Lizzie leaned over and kissed his cheek, slipping her hand into his and squeezing gently. "Relax."

"Easier said than done, Liz."

"There is a silver lining, Tony."

"And what would that be?"

"I'm sure mom has threatened him within a centimeter of his life if he isn't on his best behavior. Daddy takes her threats seriously."

Tony nodded his head, slightly comforted as he pressed the gas. Closer to the Georgetown home, Lizzie fished her cell phone out of her purse. "Where's daddy?"

Katie walked into the study and flopped into the leather chair in front of the fireplace. "He's freezing his ass off grilling the steaks."

"We'll be at the house in about ten minutes. Answer the door."

"Got it. I'll tell mom to keep him distracted just in case."

Lizzie hung up the phone and instructed Tony on where he should park the car. She slipped into her coat and waited for Tony to open the door once the car was parked. Inside the house, Jen looked out the window from the bedroom and smiled. Katie was nearby the door, and Gibbs was unaware of the approaching guests. Before Tony could ring the doorbell, Katie opened the door. "Hey guys."

"Where's your car? I didn't see it."

"Long story...but can I get a ride home with you?"

Tony smirked. "Someone couldn't handle going out with the guys...could she? Ow!" He doubled over when Katie's elbow found his ribs. He hadn't been jabbed in the ribs like that since Kate years ago.

"Hey, play nicely!" Lizzie admonished both of them.

"She started it."

"You did!"

"Katharine," Jen reprimanded from the stairs. She walked down and smiled at Tony. "It won't be as bad as you think," she whispered as she hugged him. Lizzie smiled and glanced at Katie.

"Jenny! I need a plate! C'mon! Hurry up, Jen!" In his opinion, the steaks would be ruined if they remained on the grill any longer. Tony froze at the sound of his voice and swallowed hard. Jenny darted off to assist the grill master. She and Jethro entered the kitchen moments later. He rubbed his hands together and heard voices from the den.

"They here?"

She nodded her head. "They are. Got here about five minutes ago."

He waited for her to follow him into the den. He saw Lizzie and her boyfriend standing in front of the fireplace. Gibbs knew the back of that head anywhere and cleared his throat.

Lizzie turned around as did Tony. "Hey Daddy."

"Boss," Tony acknowledged him with a nervous smile.

"DiNozzo, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for dinner."

He looked at Lizzie then to his wife. "That's her boyfriend? She's dating DiNozzo!?!"

Before he started yelling more, Jen quickly pulled him out of the room and into the study. She closed the doors and braced herself for the conversation. "Let her rip."

"Anthony DiNozzo!?! That's who she's been dating? Jen, he's not right for her!"

"How would you know what's right and not right for her?"

"I'm her father! He isn't right! He chases any skirt that he sees!"

"And so did you!"

He stopped and stared at her. "What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Jethro, you and Tony are so much alike."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes to the side and glaring. "We are not alike."

"Yes. Don't tell me you've forgotten your reputation."

"Jen, you need to start making sense."

"You were known for chasing leggy redheads."

"And I chased you."

"Before me, you chased Diane, Stephanie," she paused as he winced. "I don't need to keep going...do I?"

He shook his head.

"Jethro, you found me, and you were done chasing. Lizzie is in love with Tony. Tony is in love with her. They look at each other like we do. Now, you are going to go out there and be happy for your daughter," she told him, walking to the doors of the study.

"Jen?"

"What? she asked, turning around on her heels.

"Does he really look at her the way I look at you?"

"You'll see for yourself."

Jethro nodded his head and pushed himself off the desk, following behind his wife. Both of them slowly approached the study and peeked in. Lizzie was sitting in Tony's lap and talking quietly, but he could hear the conversation.

Tony rubbed her back in circles. "Is that the fireplace?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "That's the one."

He traced the scar on the side of her wrist and picked up her hand, kissing the place lightly.

She laughed softly. "It happened when I was four. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Tony shrugged. "What if I wanted an excuse to kiss you?"

"You never need an excuse to kiss me. You can always kiss me."

Her parents knew what scar they were talking about. Lizzie's grandmother's cat had ran under her feet and tripped her, and Lizzie fell in front of the fireplace. The reminder of that accident was the scar from the hearth and glass when she took the tumble. Jethro swallowed slightly and looked at Jenny. She smiled and nodded her head. His wife was right. Tony was in love with his daughter. For Lizzie's happiness, he would have no choice to accept, but acceptance wouldn't stop him from threatening DiNozzo's life if he hurt his little girl.

Katie approaching shook her parents out of watching the couple. She popped two tylenol and swallowed them. "When are we going to eat? I'm hungry."

Gibbs laughed. "Go set the table."

She nodded her head and disappeared to the dining room. Jen and Jethro entered the den and smiled at Lizzie and Tony. "Katie's setting the table, so we'll eat soon."

Lizzie slid out of her boyfriend's lap and looked at her father. "You okay?"

He nodded his head. "As long as you're happy."

"I am," she answered, returning a smile to him and glancing back at Tony.

He hugged her and kissed the side of her head, whispering that he loved her.

Jen let out a sigh of relief. She and Lizzie walked out of the den. Tony stood up and looked at Gibbs as he stepped closer to him. The older man looked him in the eyes and leaned in close to his ear. "DiNozzo, Lizzie's my little girl. One of the parts that makes up my whole world. If you hurt her, I will find a spot for a sniper's nest and wait for the perfect moment to kill you." Gibbs grinned and slapped him on the back. "Let's go eat," he said, walking out of the room.


	15. Chapter 15

DiNozzo survived dinner. He was unsure of how, but the dinner had been surprisingly easy. He had felt like part of the family which was a rare feeling for Tony. There hadn't been a dull moment in conversation around the dinner table. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a different creature in his home. He was more relaxed and surprisingly talkative at times. Tony watched Gibbs jump to his feet as soon as Jen moved to clear the table. He tried not to smirk when Jen raised her eyebrow and stared at her husband. Some actions were the same at home as they were in the office.

"Jethro, you broke a dish last time."

"Wasn't my fault."

"Oh?"

"You came up behind me and," Jethro stopped talking and realized the audience. His daughters wouldn't want to know what their mother had done to him, and he certainly didn't want DiNozzo to hear. He cleared his throat and watched his wife's mouth form into a sweet smile. She remembered what she had done to him and knew the dish breaking had been her fault. She wouldn't admit her fault in the matter.

"I'll keep my hands to myself," she whispered into his ear.

He smirked and took his plate along with Lizzie's nearly empty plate while Jen cleared hers, Tony's and Katie's dishes. Lizzie glanced over at her boyfriend. "See, you're still alive."

"I am." He jumped slightly when Cooper stuck his freezing nose to his hand. Katie smirked, shaking her head. She had let Cooper back inside the house. The German Shepherd darted off into the kitchen.

"Where's he going?"

"To find mom. He's her big baby," Lizzie answered Tony.

"I thought that was daddy," Katie replied.

The girls giggled, and Tony decided to laugh. Gibbs was most likely still in the kitchen, so the fear of a slap to the head wasn't there. Within seconds, Lizzie immediately stopped laughing as did DiNozzo. Katie's eyes widened, and she cleared her throat. "Damn," she muttered. She knew she shouldn't have been standing with her back to the doorway.

"Katie, I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

"Actually, I think mom's the one that spent the seventeen hours in labor."

"And to think it didn't take that long to conceive you," came Jen's voice from behind her husband. Jethro rolled his eyes.

Tony winced. He momentarily felt sorry for the boss. He was the only male in a house full of women. Cooper trotted into the room and dropped his leash at Gibbs' shoes. He bent down and picked up the leash, scratching the dog's ears. "DiNozzo, with me."

"With you?"

"Did I stutter?"

Tony shook his head and followed Gibbs out of the dining room. The two men walked to the coat closet and bundled up. Cooper sat patiently and was happy to have his leash put on, walking out into the cold night. Tony adjusted his scarf around his neck and followed alongside the older man. The pair walked silently until they were three houses down.

"Tony, I meant what I said if you hurt her."

"I know."

"As long as you know."

"I don't want to hurt Liz. Boss," Tony said in the tone that let Gibbs know it was important.

Gibbs stopped walking Cooper and turned to face DiNozzo. "What did you do to her?"

"I have hurt her." Tony looked down to the ground and cleared his throat. "I couldn't tell her that I loved her...when she wanted me to say it."

He nodded his silver haired head, thinking back. He knew the exact moment. It had been the weekend Lizzie came home and ignored her BlackBerry. His daughter was attached to her phone like her mother, but the phone wasn't an attachment. Also, he remembered how Lizzie's mood had changed roughly a week later. "You told her."

"I did."

"What made you?" He was curious and trying not to be the overprotective brutal father he was known to be. Depending on DiNozzo's answer, he would learn if he would need to get his sniper rifle out of its hiding place.

"I kept thinking about what Paula said to me. Life is too short not to tell someone you love them. It's true, and I do love Liz. I've never met anyone like her. I don't want to hurt her a second time." Tony realized what he admitted. "Does this mean I'm going to be walking out of my apartment and get a bullet between the eyes?"

"No," he replied with a slight chuckle.

Tony let out a sigh of relief, and Cooper's walk resumed its pace. Jethro stopped and let the dog relieve himself on a light pole at the end of the street. "Tony, Lizzie's a lot like her mother. Jenny likes to give tests so does Lizzie, but they give second chances. She's given you one just like Jen did with me."

"What do you mean? Why did the Director have to give you a second chance?"

"I said the wrong thing when Jen told me she loved me. I know you won't hurt Lizzie again because you don't want to see that look in her eyes."

The younger man inwardly winced at the thought. The look in Lizzie's eyes had been reminiscent of leaving a puppy in a pet store. He shook his head and continued walking with Gibbs. "Gibbs, does it bother you...I'm dating your daughter...I know that has to bother you..."

Gibbs glanced at him, conveying the message he needed to get to his point.

"I mean...does the age difference bother you?" He was ten years older than Lizzie.

"Nope. What did I tell you?"

DiNozzo looked blank and stuck his hands into the pockets of his jacket, running back through their conversation.

"Lizzie's like her mother. Hell, there's almost as many years between me and Jen as there is between you and Lizzie."

He nodded and said nothing more. The men fell into a comfortable silence until Cooper wanted to take after a stray cat. Jethro decided it was time to go back home. When he entered the house, he heard his wife in the study. "Paperwork," Gibbs mumbled, watching Cooper paw the door and slip inside the room. Gibbs tired of telling Jenny she needed to take breaks. He wanted the two of them to take a vacation, but he hadn't mentioned it yet. She might think he was losing his mind if he actually suggested both of them leaving NCIS headquarters for a vacation. If she was away for a conference, he held headquarters together. On the rare chance he was away, she was in her office. Neither of them had ever been away at the same time. All hell could break loose if the grounding forces weren't at the Navy yard.

"Not paperwork," Lizzie answered. She had heard the door and decided to see if Tony had been brought back to the house in one piece. She crunched on the cough drop in her mouth as her father stared at her expectantly. "On the phone." She slipped her arms around Tony and rested her head against him, smiling softly at him rubbing her back. Thankfully, he wasn't afraid to show her affection around Gibbs.

"With?"

"Your favorite person."

Gibbs groaned and rolled his eyes as Tony looked clueless and to Lizzie for an answer.

"Grandma."

"Did she call?" Lizzie's father questioned.

"She did."

"How long ago?"

"10 minutes or so."

Gibbs cursed under his breath and rubbed his face hard. If Helen Shepard called, she would be planning a visit. Jethro would have no place to hide from his mother-in-law. He would suffer the duration of Helen's visit. If anyone thought Jenny Shepard was a force of nature, they had never met her mother. On the Fujita scale, Jen would be a class one tornado whereas Helen would be a level five on a good day. Tony hadn't ever witnessed such a reaction from Gibbs. He was starting to think of ways to dodge meeting this woman.

Lizzie gave her father a sympathetic look and squeezed his hand. "Maybe it won't be too bad."

He snickered. "Lizzie, where did you learn to be optimistic?"

"From Ducky," she answered dryly. "We're going. I need to get back to the apartment to do some work."

Gibbs hugged her and kissed her head. "Drive careful. DiNozzo," he said, releasing his little girl and looking at the agent. "Don't keep her up late."

"Got it, boss."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and yelled for Katie. Katie yelled back to her that she'd be down in a few minutes. Tony went to start the car as Lizzie slipped into the study. Jen hung up the phone and looked up at her daughter. "Your grandmother is coming for Thanksgiving," she informed.

"I thought so. Tony and I are leaving."

Jen pushed her chair out and walked over, giving her daughter a tight hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, mom. And thanks for making things go smoothly."

"Your father will be fine."

"What other choice does he have?" Lizzie mused with a laugh, following her mother out.

Out of the study, Jethro helped Lizzie into her coat. When Katie was finished with her goodbye, he helped her into black pea coat. "Want to have a drink of bourbon with me and your mom before you go?" He couldn't resist teasing her.

Katie smirked and popped her father on the arm. "So not funny, daddy."

"I thought it was funny. Didn't you, Jen?"

Jen finished talking with Tony. He had come back into the house to compliment her on a wonderful dinner and say his goodbyes to her. "We'll pour you a glass before you go, Katie." The parents laughed as Katie walked out the door, muttering into the night. Lizzie followed behind her, seeing that Tony had moved the car closer to the house.

"Shotgun!"

"What_ever_," Katie mumbled, giving her sister the finger.

Tony held in his laughter and continued walking to the car with his girlfriend. The trio settled into the car and left the house to return to the apartment. As much as he hated it, Tony wouldn't be spending the night with Lizzie considering she had work to do.

Jethro followed Jen into the study. She walked over and removed two glasses from the shelf, filling them halfway with bourbon. "Mother's coming for Thanksgiving."

He took the glass from her, nodding his head. "Is she staying with us?"

"She hasn't decided." Jen shook her head at the annoyed look on her husband's face. Her mother and her husband's relationship had declined after Jasper's death. She believed there was a great deal of toleration on each part since then. Jethro's tolerance wore thin after a few days of being around Helen. With a soft sigh, she sat down on the sofa next to him, snuggling up and taking a sip of her drink. In turn, he slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer. She played with the button of his jacket. "How do you honestly feel about Lizzie and Tony?"

He took a large drink of his bourbon and looked down. "I'll get used to it."

"Jethro, what if it gets serious?"

"I thought it was serious."

"Serious as in Anthony DiNozzo turns into our son-in-law."

He laughed for a few minutes and could barely stop even though his sides were hurting. "Jenny, it won't happen. C'mon, Tony getting married. If Abby tells me she's stopped sleeping in a coffin, then I might believe DiNozzo could become our son-in-law."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs now predicting the future..."

"I know what I know, Jen."

"No, you know what your gut tells you."

He rolled his eyes and finished off his bourbon. "But you love me."

"For some strange reason, I still do."

"It's the sawdust."

She laughed softly and picked her head up, staring into his eyes. "Oh really?"

"Some women find it attractive."

"Jethro, how many women have told you that?"

"Not many."

She smirked and leaned in, kissing him softly and touching his chin. "Well, I do find the sawdust alluring at times."

His eyes widened in surprise. Earlier, he had only run the shower and not actually taken a shower. He had washed his face and thrown cologne Jen had bought him for Father's Day. Technically, he still had the aroma of sawdust about him along with cologne. Jen kissed her husband a second time and allowed Jethro entrance to her mouth as her hand snaked down. His breath hitched when she paused at the zipper. She would be in a mood to torment him.

"Jenny," he whined as she toyed with the zipper.

"Yes?" she asked, placing light kisses on his neck and continuing to unzip and zip his slacks.

"Do you have to..." His question ended suddenly, and he settled into the cushions more. He couldn't think of what he'd done to deserve the special treatment from Jenny. At the moment, he simply didn't care. His wife continued taking care of him and left him completely speechless.

She stood up and refilled his glass of bourbon, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to work out the tangles caused by Jethro.

"Jen, that was....what was that for?"

"Your reward."

"For...?"

"You were on your best behavior."

He smiled to himself and drank his bourbon, staying on the sofa as she went upstairs to shower. Tomorrow as Monday. He hoped for an exciting case. He would be enjoying the peace until his mother-in-law arrived. He set his glass down and smirked to himself. He quickly jogged up the stairs and into the master bedroom to join Jenny in the shower. He felt lucky.


	16. Chapter 16

Helen Shepard arrived in D.C. on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Her first destination was Hotel Palomar. She had no intention of leaving the room until the next day. The seventy year old despised flying which is why her visits to her daughter had become more and more scarce over the years. After an hour nap and a shower to make herself feel more human after being on a plane for so long, she placed a phone call and waited impatiently. Patience was believed to come with age but not in her case. With the years, Helen had become more impatient especially when it considered her daughter and her grandchildren. Two and a half hours later, her cell phone rang. "Why on earth did it take you four hours to return my call?"

"It's been about two and a half actually," Katie replied as she rolled her eyes and received an amused smirk from her mother. Both of them knew Helen expected tasks to be done when she wanted.

"Don't get sassy, Katharine."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, what have you been doing in the two and a half hours it took you to return your _only_ grandmother's phone call?"

"I was getting a mani and pedi with mom," she answered her grandmother truthfully.

Jenny winced, knowing her mother would want to speak to her. Her mother detested flying and was always cranky afterward. A disagreeable Shepard female was nothing anyone wanted to deal with whatever time of day. Katharine handed the BlackBerry over to her mother with a sugary smile. "She wants to speak to you."

She took the phone. "Hi mom. How are you?"

"Jennifer, I'd like to have lunch with you tomorrow."

"I'll have to check with Cynthia."

"You shouldn't be too busy to have lunch with your mother."

"I will do what I can."

Helen gave an unseen disapproving look, but her daughter felt it through the phone. "You have time to get a manicure and pedicure. If you could fit that into your busy schedule, we'll have lunch tomorrow. I'll be at NCIS at noon. Let me speak to Katharine."

Without a word, Jenny passed the phone to Katharine and continued driving home. Five minutes later, Katie dropped her phone back into the pocket of her purse with a huff. "I have to cancel my plans for tonight."

"You've been summoned?"

"Yes."

"Better you than me."

"I'd rather it be you."

Jen's lips curved into a smirk. "You'll put her into a good mood."

Katie grumbled under her breath and gazed out the window as her mother drove to their neighborhood. The pair said goodbyes, and the younger female hopped into her car and left. Jenny entered the house and took in the smell of cleanliness. Noemi wouldn't be back until after the holidays. It would be a small miracle if Jethro contributed to taking up the cleaning slack. He was and wasn't a typical male. He was predictable in leaving clothes scattered here and there. At the door, she slipped out of her heels and padded into the study, dropping her briefcase and bag onto the desk. She found her husband in the kitchen, sitting on a bar stool. Jen slipped her arms around his neck, running her hands down his chest and kissing the side of his face. "Hello," she murmured into his ear.

"Hey," he replied with a grin and turned to stare at her face. "Guilty of something, Jen?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Only guilty of getting a manicure and pedicure. Like my nails?" she asked, running her hands back up his chest and displaying her hands to him.

He smirked softly and kissed the tips of her french manicured nails. His wife rarely opted for polish, and he always admired the simplicity of her manicures. Of course, he loved when she changed her mind and went for the deep crimson color that both reminded them of Paris.

"Jethro, I've been thinking," she began as she pulled out the stool next to him and sat down. However, she paused upon hearing his grumble.

He innocently glanced at her. "Go ahead."

"Nevermind." She slipped off the stool and left the kitchen, retreating into the den.

"Dammit, Jen," he cursed under his breath and followed her.

She stared at him from her spot on the sofa. He surveyed the situation and surroundings. Her arms were folded over her chest, and there was a cold facade although he caught the playful smirk and twinkle in those green eyes. "C'mon, Jen...you know you wanna tell me."

"Nope," she retorted with a shake of her head. "Lost your chance, Jethro."

He glanced up to the corner of the ceiling and rolled his eyes. "Jenny." He hated this game, and she knew it.

"I suppose I'll have a glass of bourbon and call it a night," she said casually, getting up from her spot.

"No, you don't." He took hold her elbow, and she spun around, placing her hands against his chest. She pushed gently at him.

"It won't be that easy, Jethro."

"Never liked easy, Jen."

"Easy doesn't come with redheads...as you know," she added, slinking her foot in between his and knocking him down. Jethro took her down with him, listening to her giggles as his back landed on the couch. Before she could make an escape, he held her firmly against him.

"You can't go anywhere."

"Sure about that?" Her knee inched closer to a certain area.

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Play nice."

She huffed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "Let's go away for New Year's."

"Where?"

"Anywhere. Let's get out of the city."

"We'll go to the cabin." The two enjoyed escaping to their favorite cabin in the Shenandoahs but hadn't in recent years. It was time for the workaholics to take a vacation and have something to look forward to until then.

"Perfect," she grinned before placing a kiss on his lips. Tomorrow, she would have Cynthia clear out her schedule for a blissful two weeks in the mountains with Jethro.

"I love you."

"If you love me so much, let's go out to dinner."

The sound of grumbling followed, and she clamped her hand over her husband's mouth. "Jethro, you won't get dessert."

"Let's go."

As her parents left the house, Katharine arrived at Hotel Palomar. In the lobby, she stopped in front of a mirror and fixed her scarf. She took a breath and stepped into the elevator. There was no doubt she loved her grandmother, but she'd rather be going through with her original plans for the night. Katie had planned on catching dinner and a movie with her friends. Of course, Lizzie had plans with Tony.

Helen opened the door to the suite before her granddaughter was able to knock. "I thought I heard you."

Katie glanced down at her heeled black boots. Her grandmother's hearing certainly wasn't failing. "Hi." She stepped into the suite and glanced around. She was engulfed in a tight hug moments later and taking in the smell of her grandmother's Chanel No. 5 perfume. "I missed you," Katie whispered.

Helen broke away from the embrace but didn't let her granddaughter go. "I've missed you too," she replied, kissing her cheek. "I've ordered room service for us. First, take off your coat and get comfortable. Second, you're going to tell me everything that's been going on. And third, I love you."

She smiled softly and removed her coat, throwing it on an empty chair. Her grandmother was tough as steel but as soft as a cashmere blanket to those she loved. "There isn't much to report."

"Katharine, there is always something to report at your age."

"Well, I could graduate at the end of this semester, but I don't want to. I'd rather graduate in spring."

"Everything squared away for graduate school?"

"I've changed my mind. I'm going to join the circus."

Helen laughed as she rolled her eyes. "You still haven't grown out of that."

"What?"

"When you were told you were going to have a little brother, you informed your mother and father you'd be joining the circus. You called Ducky and demanded he drive you to our house. The manipulative toddler you were convinced him your parents were too busy to drive you, and we knew you'd be coming over to spend the night."

"You're making this up."

"I do not conjure such imaginative schemes and retell them as stories about my grandchildren. You arrived on our doorstep with a small suitcase and told your grandfather your brilliant revelation about the path of your life. Instead of calling Barnum and Bailey, he called Jethro to come and get you. You sulked for a week."

"I really think you're making this up."

"Ask your mother, your father, or Ducky. They will tell you the same story."

"I couldn't have talked Ducky into that. There's no way possible he would have believed me."

Helen rolled her eyes. "You'll understand how adorably manipulative a child can be if you ever become a mother. Like most children, you and Elizabeth were too adorable and intelligent for your own good...the inherited gifts of gab and intimidation only aided the two of you."

"Maybe I will join the circus this time."

Her grandmother laughed and told her to answer the door after hearing a knock. She let the young man into the room. He smiled at her.

"Didn't we take a class together?"

"What class?"

"Some art history class in the spring."

Katie shook her head. "No. You took it with my sister."

"Twins?"

She nodded her head.

"I'm sorry. That must happen often."

"It's fine. I'm used to it so is she."

He nodded and continued rolling the cart into the room. Helen instructed him where she wanted to have dinner. Katie watched her grandmother tip him generously. He left the room, but not before telling Katie that he'd see her around campus.

Helen watched him leave and sat down, looking at Katie. "He was cute. Don't date him."

"Why not?"

"He works in a hotel."

Katie rolled her eyes subtly and poured the pino grigio into her grandmother's glass. Her grandmother was selective when it came to suitors for her and Lizzie. She had been that way with Jenny. Jethro was not what Helen had wanted her daughter to marry. Helen had not wanted her only child to become a NCIS agent either, but she was proud of her daughter's accomplishments. The pair chatted throughout dinner. Helen became completely up to date with Katharine's life. She had her convinced to spend spring break in California.

"Why couldn't I get Elizabeth on her phone?"

The question had taken longer for her grandmother to ask than Katie expected. "Her phone's off," Katie answered bluntly.

"Why?"

Katie couldn't inform her grandmother that Lizzie's phone was off because her plans involved being in Tony's apartment, surprising him with candles, and showing off her latest purchase of skimpy lace and silk. "She's...busy...studying."

"Studying?"

"Yes."

Helen peered speculatively at her as she sipped her wine. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

"You'll have to ask her."

Helen smiled slowly. She had her answer. "Is he respectable?"

"He's an agent."

"FBI?" she asked, sounding hopeful. Nothing would set her son-in-law's temper off more if his daughter was dating an agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"No, he's NCIS and on daddy's team."

Helen was wrong. Elizabeth dating one of his agents would do the trick. Her mouth curved into a pleased smile, and Katie could have sworn the distinguished white streak in her grandmother's hair shown whiter with happiness.

"How does Jethro enjoy that?"

Katie smirked. "He's coping with mom's help, of course."

"Of course." Helen nodded her head, finishing off her wine. She glanced at her watch. "It's nearing 10. It's past my bedtime."

Katie remained silent as she stood up. She knew her grandmother was a night owl and was getting rid of her. The woman had something up her sleeve. "Thanks for dinner."

Helen nodded her head and watched Katie pull on her coat, buttoning it. She fixed her scarf and kissed her forehead. "I love you. Let me know when you get home. Be careful." She followed Katie to the door and watched her walk into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, she rushed back inside and grabbed her phone to try and call her stray granddaughter. Helen ended the call and threw the phone onto the couch in frustration of hearing voicemail. Shaking her head, she decided she would have to put sense into Elizabeth. During this visit, Helen would somehow get the point across to her beloved granddaughter not to follow in her mother's footsteps.


	17. Chapter 17

Elizabeth bit her lip and tilted her head to the side, putting her paintbrush down in the cup of water. She needed to take a break, and the distraction on the couch wasn't helping her will to not take a break from the painting she'd been working on for a solid hour. Tony watched her carefully as she chewed on her bottom lip more and stared at the painting. He didn't mind that she had thrown all but two brushes at him. Fifteen minutes ago, he'd given up on getting her away from her work. He had been content to stare, but Lizzie glanced over at him.

"I don't like it when you stare at me."

"I'm not staring."

"You are."

"I'm admiring your beauty."

She laughed and threw a brush at him. "You are so corny."

He got up from the couch and walked over to her, taking her hands. "Take a break."

"I'm almost finished."

"You are not. You're stuck."

She glanced at the painting and back to him with wide blue green eyes. "How could you tell?"

"You bite at your lip when you're in a rut," he told his observation, pulling her off the stool.

"But Tony," she said softly, pulling away.

He shook his head and pulled her to the couch, flopping down and taking the redhead with him. He adored the sound of her giggling on the way down and smiled as she moved to get comfortable. She pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa, snuggling up to Tony and nudging him when he started playing in her hair. "Don't," she whined softly. "You know I'll go to sleep." Lizzie hated to take naps in the middle of the afternoon.

He laughed and removed his hand from her red locks. He was flipping through the channels when her phone started ringing. Tony was surprised to hear the ringtone. He had never heard it before. He smirked, wondering who deserved _Beverly Hills_ by Weezer. Lizzie quickly removed herself from the sofa and grabbed her phone, answering and leaving the room. Curious, Tony quietly walked over and attempted to listen to Lizzie's side of the conversation. Before he knew it, Lizzie opened the bedroom door and smirked at him. He looked sheepish and flashed a grin at her, waving innocently. She shook her head and kept the smirk on her face. "Love you too," she said into the phone and ended the call.

"Who was that?"

"My other boyfriend."

He smirked and rested his arms around her hips. "Liz, who was it?"

"I told you."

Tony pinched her bottom, and she jumped. "Tony!" she shrieked as she slapped at his hands.

"C'mon, Liz...tell me. I've never heard that ringtone before." He was losing his try at not being jealous. Only important people had a ringtone in Elizabeth's phone. Until she changed her mind, his was the opening theme to Magnum, P.I.

"It was my grandmother."

He looked down at her. "You gave your grandmother that song?"

"She lives in California."

"Beverly Hills?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Lizzie answered, breaking away from him to go into the kitchen. He followed. "She lives in Bel Air."

"Bel Air?"

"That is what I said," she confirmed and poured a glass of apple juice.

Tony hadn't met Helen Shepard yet, but he was feeling intimidated. Bel Air meant money and lots of it. He did a double take as Lizzie passed by him. "Liz?"

She turned around and looked at him, sipping out of her glass. Before he could ask his question, there were several urgent knocks on the door. "It's probably mom. Just tell her to wait. I'll be in the shower."

He made a pout. He wouldn't be joining her in the shower. Tony answered the door and assumed the older redhead he stared at was Helen Shepard. He swallowed hard. She was critically glancing around her as she stood outside the apartment. She stared back at him with pale blue eyes and intense auburn hair magnified by a single white streak near her bangs.

"Do you know how to speak?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"That's a start."

"In society, introductions are the first step in conversation."

"I'm Anthony DiNozzo."

"Italian," Helen remarked with a mild huff as she entered the apartment, unbuttoning her long emerald coat and placing it on the back of a chair. She dropped her hangbag into the chair and turned on her heels, arms folded and staring him down.

"Yes, I'm Italian," Tony confirmed, closing the door behind him.

"I've heard about you." Helen looked him up and down. She hadn't decided if Tony would be good enough for Elizabeth. She held high standards for her granddaughters, and Tony was realizing she would be his toughest critic.

"I'm sure you have, ma'am," Tony answered politely and offered her a seat on the sofa. Luckily, Katie and Lizzie had cleaned earlier.

Helen sat down and watched Tony carefully. "I'll get to the point. Why are you dating Elizabeth?"

"I love her."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You love her because of the money."

"What money?"

Helen looked surprised and glanced at her granddaughter as she entered the room. Elizabeth inwardly winced. She had thought she'd heard her grandmother's voice and cancelled her plans to shower instead changing clothes. Regrettably, she hadn't protected Tony from her grandmother. There wasn't any way to tell what the woman could have said to him, but Tony did look like a deer caught in headlights. "I didn't know you'd be coming over so soon." She walked over, leaning down and hugging her grandmother.

"You know how I adore surprising you and your sister. Where is Katharine?"

"She's out running errands."

Helen nodded her head, and Lizzie sat down in between them. Her grandmother held her hand and smiled at her. "I'd like to talk to you, Elizabeth." The older woman glared at Tony, dismissing him from the room.

He nodded his head. "I'll let you visit with your grandmother," Tony said, getting up.

Lizzie sighed and got up, following him to the door. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's fine. Call me later. We'll go to dinner or whatever you want to do."

She smiled at him and stood on her tiptoes slightly to kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you." He kissed her a second time and left the apartment.

Lizzie sighed heavily and closed the door, walking back over to the couch. "Let's talk since you not too subtly kicked my boyfriend out of my apartment which mom doesn't even do."

"I'm not your mother. Elizabeth, I don't think he's with you for the right reasons."

"Grandmother, you just met him!"

"He wants the money."

"He doesn't know about the money!"

Helen looked genuinely surprised. She misread his reaction. She had thought it to be an act, but it was real. "What?" she asked.

"I don't go around letting everyone know I have a trust fund neither does Katie. He just found out that you live in Bel Air."

She pursed her lips as she thought. "Elizabeth, I apologize for jumping the gun."

"And seeing the worst in people."

"I do not always."

Lizzie smirked and folded her arms, looking at her grandmother.

"Stop that. You look like Jethro," Helen said in full distaste. "If you're happy, I can be happy." She lied, but the lie was for the best. She didn't want Elizabeth upset with her for the remainder of the visit. Her granddaughters could hold a grudge worse than their mother.

"Thank you," Lizzie whispered, kissing her grandmother's cheek.

Helen stroked her hair back and smiled. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too."

Outside the door, Jenny stood and let out a breath. She had spent ten minutes listening to Tony tell her about his first meeting with Helen. Her words most likely had not comforted him, but it could have been much worse. She knocked on the door and smiled at Lizzie.

"Is mother here?"

Lizzie nodded her head and let her mother inside. She noticed the intensity in her daughter's eyes and rubbed the middle of her back softly. The two would talk later, and Jenny would mend the damage her mother had inflicted.

Helen stood up and looked at her daughter. "Are we ready to go?"

"If you are."

"I have been. Where's Katharine?"

"She's meeting us there."

"Is Jethro attending?"

Jenny shook her head. "No, he isn't."

Lizzie smirked in amusement. She easily guessed what was occupying her father's time instead of spending the afternoon with four redheads.

"What is preventing him from spending time with his family?" Helen asked as the trio left the apartment.

"He's working on his boat."

Helen scoffed. "He needs culture."

"He'd rather work on his boat than spend hours with all of us in a museum…I don't blame him," Lizzie commented and received a harsh look from Helen.

"Jethro will get culture some other time." Jenny knew he needed to work on the boat. The last week at NCIS had been rough on all the agents. Thankfully, Jethro's whole team had been out of the office when Helen came in for lunch. As cushion, Ducky had joined the two women for lunch. On this Saturday, Jethro was dodging a bullet. Next week, he would have to see Helen, and Jenny wouldn't let him get away with not. The monster-in-law would be in his home, and he'd have no choice to face her.


	18. Chapter 18

To say she wanted to rip her hair out at the roots was a severe understatement. Jenny had spent the whole morning in the kitchen with her mother. The two disagreed on how everything for the Thanksgiving dinner should be cooked. Plus, she had to prevent her mother from calling Noemi five times. Katharine had intervened with her MacBook and suggestion of googling the recipes that her grandmother could not remember since the cooking had to be done her way.

Jenny left the kitchen and stopped when she heard racket from the other side of the front door. Moments later, she walked straight into her husband's arms and buried her face into him.

"Jen?"

"Just shut up and hold me."

"Can I let Coop off the leash first?"

She rolled her eyes and let go, bending down and releasing the German shepherd to run free about the house. "Now, hold me," she whispered and stared at Jethro with pleading green eyes.

Jethro nodded and hugged her tightly, rubbing her back in soft circles. "C'mon," he whispered against her hair. He felt her shake her head against him. With a muffled grumble, he lifted her off the floor and carried her up the stairs. Inside the bedroom, he put her down on the bed and retreated into the bathroom to run her a steaming hot bath. From her spot, Jenny watched him with a smile on her face. He left the bedroom and jogged down the stairs, quietly entering the study and grabbing one tumbler along with the bottle of bourbon.

When he reentered the bathroom, he found her in the claw foot tub surrounded by bubbles and with a content smile around her face. He poured a large amount of bourbon into the glass and handed it to her, kneeling down behind her to give her a shoulder massage.

"You're too good," Jenny murmured as she rolled her neck around.

He smiled and continued massaging her neck. "You need it."

"Do I have to go back down there?"

"Is she alone?"

"Katie's with her."

"We can hide together."

"Jethro," she admonished.

"What? You're good undercover."

She turned her head to side, giving him one raised eyebrow followed by a smirk. "I am good undercover."

He smirked, leaning in and kissing the corner of her mouth. "Jen, enjoy the peace and quiet," he told her, getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"I need coffee."

"Jethro, you do realize getting coffee means going into the kitchen?"

He muttered with a nod of his head as he left the bathroom. Jenny sunk into the bubbles and let out a long sigh. As Jethro descended the stairs, he noticed Cooper exiting the study. The dog stopped and looked at him, dropping a tattered sock onto the floor. Jethro noticed it was Helen's sock and grinned. Today may not be a bad day.

"Coop, give me that."

Cooper picked up the sock and trotted over, letting Gibbs remove it from his mouth. The sock was stuffed into his pocket, and he headed into the kitchen, kissing the top of Katie's head.

"Hey Daddy," she greeted.

He squinted to see what she was doing on the computer and had no idea what she was doing. "Morning, Helen."

"Jethro," she said briskly.

He reached for his favorite cup and came up empty. His eyes surveyed the situation quickly, and he saw Helen was using his treasured mug.

From her spot at the bar, Katie watched the interaction between her father and grandmother. Her father rarely verbalized his aversion to Helen, but the lack of love was mutual between the two. However, her grandmother was more verbal. She knew she had taken her son-in-law's preferred mug.

"Oh Jethro...did I accidentally use your coffee cup of choice?"

He shook his head. "Enjoy it. Did you wash it out first, Hel?"

"No."

"Cooper finished the last bit of coffee left in the cup last night."

Helen stopped in mid sip and leaned over to the sink, spitting out the coffee. She placed the mug into the sink and quickly left the kitchen to go brush her teeth.

Katie bit her lip to keep from laughing. "That was untrue."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I won't tell her different."

"Neither will I." Katie crossed her heart and smiled. She answered her phone when it began ringing and hung up minutes later.

"Lizzie and Tony are on the way. When's Ducky coming?"

"Later in the afternoon."

She nodded her head. "Where's mom?"

"Upstairs. Don't bother her."

Katie rolled her eyes and continued chatting with her Georgetown friends that were home for the holidays and equally as bored as her.

Upstairs, Helen finished brushing her teeth and freshening up. She hated and missed being in this house. There were too many memories of good times and bad times. After her husband's death from a long battle with cancer, she had to get out of the city. She could have moved to Florida since she wanted warm winters, but Florida was not far away enough. California was her destination. She heaved a sigh passing by her grandson's room and knocked on the door of the master bedroom. Jenny opened the door and stood in her robe, assuming her mother had complaints about Jethro.

"I want to give you something."

She walked away from the door to let her mother inside the bedroom. She twisted her hair up, putting it into a clip. "What is it?"

"You know how much you love my pearls?"

"Yes..."

"I'm too selfish to part with them yet, but I wanted to give you these as a late," she paused. "Hopefully not too late birthday present." Helen showed her a black box and offered it to her.

Jenny took the jewelry box and sat down on the bed, opening it. "They're beautiful." She took out the pearl and diamond necklace, smiling softly. "Thank you," she whispered as she admired the matching earrings.

"You're welcome." Helen put the necklace around her daughter's neck and fastened the clasp. "Perfection."

She hugged her mother tightly and kissed her cheek. "And it's not too late."

Helen looked away and swiped at her eye, clearing her throat. "I'll leave you to get ready for the day. I'll do my best not to be difficult."

"Not being difficult doesn't run in our veins."

Her mother grinned and kissed her head. "True."

"Mother," Jenny called as she reached the door. "You don't have to worry about Tony being with Lizzie for money. He's quite well off himself."

"On a NCIS salary, I think not," Helen replied coolly.

"His family has money. There are more than age stipulations for Tony to receive his inheritance." Jenny hoped she had placed a band-aid over her mother's concerns. She knew she had the best intentions even if tact was scarce at times. Her family had worked hard for the wealth, and Helen simply didn't want anyone to help her granddaughters drain through the sum too quickly. If Jenny hadn't had children, she'd probably still have nearly the whole amount of her inheritance.

Helen nodded her head, turning and leaving the room. Unknown to her daughter, she left the room with a pleased smile on her face. If one came from money, he or she was not a gold digger in Helen's opinion. Her opinion was all that mattered. The weight of approving or disapproving of a male had been so much easier when the burden had been shared. Jasper respected Jethro from the moment he met him, and Jasper had told her to keep quiet for Jenny's happiness which had been easier said than done.

Tony glanced towards the stairs as he and Lizzie entered the house. He noticed Helen and nudged his girlfriend. She looked up from petting Cooper and whispered, "Remember what I told you."

He nodded and greeted Helen as she came down the stairs. He was panicky and resisting the urge to dart and run behind Gibbs for protection from the dragon lady. Gibbs observed the interaction from the hallway with an amused smirk on his face.

Helen hugged her granddaughter first and stared at Tony for a moment before smiling at him. She took him by the arm, leading him out of the foyer. "Would you like anything to drink? It's best to have a bit of alcohol in your system at these family gatherings."

"I have to drive."

"I don't plan to get you drunk or take advantage of you. Tony is short for Anthony…isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'd prefer to call you Anthony."

Gibbs patted Tony on the back when the pair passed by him. He looked at Lizzie and smiled. Helen seemed to be making the effort. He could easily tell when the woman was being genuine or fake. She was being genuine. Jethro remembered her making the effort with him. Sadly, he thought back to when his relationship with his mother-in-law changed. The fine line of amicability between them had been erased with his son's death.

"Daddy?"

He shook out of his thoughts of Jasper at the sound of Lizzie's voice. He gave her a smile and eased his arm around her. "Today will be all right."

The day would be all right. He would be surrounded by his family and friends. After a wonderful meal and desserts, the group would relocate into the den. Ducky would tell stories from years gone by, and the stories would become more colorful with the help of scotch. Hopefully, he'd tell the story of when Jenny commandeered the boat in France. The story was Jethro's favorite, and the breathtaking-boat-stealing-almost-always-in control redhead would be next to him on the sofa sharing a glass of bourbon with him...a perfect end to a Thanksgiving gathering.


	19. Chapter 19

Jethro stopped breathing as he heard his front door open. For the last three hours, he'd been sitting in the hull of his boat with a bottle of bourbon. Four hours ago, he was in the middle of chaos. The women had planned a full day of shopping on Black Friday. At 0400, the alarm jerked him awake as did Jenny hitting him with a pillow ten minutes after she'd left the warmth of bed. She dragged him along on the shopping trip and ordered him to drive. He wasn't thrilled to be in the car with her, Helen, Katie, and Lizzie. As soon as he saw the opportunity to disappear, he took it and left his wife in the men's section. According to her, he needed new clothes, but he was perfectly content with his wardrobe. Jethro sought refuge in the basement and slowly took a swig from the mason jar, listening as the footsteps came down the stairs. He thought for sure he was a dead man when the visitor began climbing into the boat. There were only a handful of people that would know where to find him. Unfortunately, most of that handful was redheads. His eyebrows rose in surprise.

"DiNozzo," he greeted sharply. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh, hey boss...didn't think I'd find you here," Tony answered, making himself comfortable in the hull of the boat.

"It's my basement and my boat."

Tony noticed the bourbon on the floor. "Got another glass?"

Gibbs smirked and dumped nails out of a tin jar, shoving it at his company. DiNozzo made a repulsed face, wrinkling his forehead and crinkling his nose. "Boss, nails were in there."

"Uh huh."

"Mind if I drink out of the bottle?"

"Yes," Gibbs answered gruffly, snatching the bottle back to refill his glass of choice. "DiNozzo, if you get me caught..."

The younger man held up his hand. "I know, but it's genius. Liz won't figure out where I am."

"DiNozzo, don't you know anything?"

"Yeah."

"You don't. If Lizzie can't find you, she'll tell Jen. Jen'll call me. When I don't answer, Jen'll come over here."

"Oh...didn't think about that." DiNozzo strangled a wince as he was smacked upside the back of his head. He snatched the bottle of bourbon from Gibbs and poured a small amount into the makeshift glass. He swallowed, feeling like he'd consumed rust and whatever else. He was doubtful the rust caused his throat to burn, and he was certain the proof of the alcohol was the reason why his throat was on fire when he examined the bottle.

"Boss?"

"What?" Gibbs responded, mildly aggravated. He had enjoyed the three hours of peace and quiet. Now, he had an uninvited drinking buddy, and the possibility of getting found was more probable.

"How bad is a redhead's temper?"

Jethro chuckled in amusement at the question. "Why do you think I kept this house?"

"The boat?"

"No, DiNozzo. If Jen gets pissed, I come over here."

"That bad?"

"You'll learn." He smirked and watched DiNozzo move to climb out of safety. "DiNozzo!"

"I'm going to get a glass."

Gibbs shook his head, rolling his eyes. Seconds later, DiNozzo was asking about food. He was instructed to look in the pantry and to enter at his own risk. Ten minutes later, DiNozzo returned with his arms full. He was carrying several bags of chips, a can of dip, real drinking glasses, and a package of Oreos. "Not bad, DiNozzo."

A half hour later, Jethro felt his phone vibrating and ignored it. He muttered when his wife left him a voicemail. The message count was now up to eight. He looked up when he heard DiNozzo's phone vibrating. DiNozzo answered his phone after a nod from Gibbs.

"Hey. How's shopping?"

"The sales are amazing. I bought you a few things."

"Oh, you did?"

"A few ties, shirts, and jeans."

"I can't wait to see them." Tony knew Lizzie had an impeccable sense of fashion, but a female purchasing clothes for him was a new experience. He did the purchasing, and the items were never anything that could be worn outside of the bedroom.

Lizzie smiled to herself then groaned a second later as her mother's elbow made contact with her ribs.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Before she could ask a question, the phone was snatched from her ear. "DiNozzo," Jenny spoke in her Director tone. "Where is Jethro?"

Gibbs shook his head fervently and glared at his uninvited companion. Tony cleared his throat. He knew the consequences of coming between the two professionally but personally was more precarious. With a fleeting glance to Gibbs, he recognized that boss was a larger, closer threat than the one at the other end of the phone. "Ma'am, I don't know. Boss doesn't call me to hang out with him. If he did, I'd think the world was ending…it wouldn't be like Orson Welles' 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. If Gibbs called and wanted to have a drink with him, the world would be ending," he continued to ramble.

"Thank you, DiNozzo!" Jenny returned Lizzie's phone. Her temper had risen with each unanswered call. There was no doubt in her mind as to her husband's whereabouts. She would be waiting for him at home, or she would ambush him and show him where he could put that bottle of bourbon.

The soft clearing of his girlfriend's throat broke DiNozzo from his rambling, and he gave Gibbs a thumbs up. Lizzie listened to her mother's muttered detailed threats of punishment and torture as she confirmed her evening plans. The shopping bags were loaded into the trunk, and the power shoppers settled into the sedan. After getting off the phone, Lizzie attempted to calm her mother down. Helen wasn't helping matters. Katie was thoroughly entertained. She hadn't seen her mother so furious in years.

Katie leaned over to her sister's ear. "She hasn't been this mad since daddy bought her that wood planer instead of tickets to the ballet for her birthday."

Lizzie cringed as she nodded her head. The fight had been epic and one of the worst the twins could remember. Jenny had thrown the hand wood planer at Jethro after the yelling match. He'd ended up with stitches, painkillers, and numerous apologies that were unaccepted. In hindsight, he should have known better. He'd deserved the planer to the back of the head.

The girls continued talking quietly in the back of the car while the occupants of the front were silent. The women had spent nearly the entirety of the day together. On Sunday, there were plans for a family breakfast before taking Helen to the airport. Hopefully, Jethro would be in attendance, and the girls were contemplating what would happen if he wasn't. After a curious look from their grandmother, Katie and Lizzie decided to end speaking conversation and continue through texting. Once inside the Georgetown home, the women went their separate ways. Jenny went to the study to catch up the paperwork she'd neglected as a result of the holiday, and Helen said goodbye to her grandchildren and left for the upstairs. She had dinner plans with one of Jasper's friends. The girls left for their apartment. With the new wardrobe additions, both of them would need to rearrange their closets.

Jenny thought of numerous ways to exact her revenge on her husband. Ultimately, she made the decision not say one word to him when he entered the door. In marriage and life, it was better to pick and choose battles. Jethro would be expecting a fight, but he wouldn't receive a hostile word or glance from her. This Thanksgiving had not been too badly marred with quarrels between them, and she wouldn't be the starter. She would carry on with her paperwork and nurse a tumbler of bourbon. Her mother would be leaving on Sunday, and the household would be less tense. Thankfully, the Christmas holidays would be more relaxed. Helen would stay in California and ship her gifts to everyone. Jackson Gibbs would be in D.C. for Christmas. Jenny's lips pursed into a grin as she thought about Tony's reaction when he learned Jethro's father would be in town in less than a month. He would be in for surprise if he expected Gibbs to a carbon copy of his father. She signed off on a case report and thought about next year. For New Year's Eve, she and Jethro would have their getaway at the cabin before launching into another year at NCIS. A new year always brought changes. She was optimistic yet weary of the coming year. In her family, changes were welcomed and not welcomed. Jenny had a sinking feeling that the changes would affect everyone's life.


	20. Chapter 20

The rush of the holidays had come and gone. Her parents returned from the cabin getaway surprisingly refreshed, and her father seemed to have an optimistic outlook. Katie did not want to imagine what her parents had done while away. She stepped off the elevator and surveyed the squad room. She was early for her weekly lunch date with her father. He had set a lunch rule into play after the first of the year. Jethro had made the decision this year would involve more time with his family. The decision was a mutual one with his wife. His desk was empty along with the others surrounding his. She mumbled and unbuttoned her coat as she walked towards the stairs. Like her father, she didn't worry with waiting for Cynthia's approval to enter her mother's office. Unlike her father's entrances, Katie lacked the finesse of causing the precious door to almost fall off the hinges.

Jenny didn't bother to swirl her chair around. She had been on the phone for the last hour. For the last fifteen minutes, her high heeled feet had been propped on the shelf and her eyes were looking out over the Anacostia as she tried her best to not tune out the voice on the other end. She signaled for her daughter to sit with a hand motion. Hopefully, the call would be wrapped up soon because she was ready for lunch herself. However, she wouldn't meddle with father and daughter time.

Katie removed her coat but left her scarf around her neck. She propped her cognac leather boots on her mother's desk as she fished out her BlackBerry to send a text message. She glanced up and was met with a disapproving look from her mother. Sheepishly, Katie took her boots off the desk. "Sorry, Madame Director," she whispered and smirked. The text message sent as the desk phone was placed into its cradle.

"Your father should be back soon."

The younger redhead nodded. "Are you going?"

"No, I'm not going to interfere with your time. I might call Lizzie and see if she wants to meet anywhere for lunch."

"She's clearing security now. Lunch with Tony."

Jenny nodded her head as she sifted through paperwork. She might go to lunch with Ducky or order in and knock out another stack of paperwork. The conversation between mother and daughter was slow. Katie heaved a bored sigh as she stood up, gathering her coat and purse. Paperwork consumed her mother. "I'll go wait downstairs and let you work."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"It's fine. If you do more work here, you'll do less at home." Katie left the office and went down the stairs. She sat down at her father's desk to wait and hoped he'd arrive soon. She had little patience.

Lizzie exited the elevator and walked into the squad room, taking a seat on her father's desk. Her features turned into a familiar smirk as she noticed Katie looking relieved to see her. "Thought you were with mom."

"She's buried under paperwork."

"Where are you going for lunch?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders. "No idea. I chose last week, so it's his turn."

She nodded her head and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Nice sweater," Lizzie commented.

"I know. I might keep it."

Lizzie resisted the urge to stick her tongue out. The green v-neck sweater was hers, but she had no right to say anything about it. The sisters borrowed without telling numerous times. If items were returned, it was a miraculous occurrence. The two laughed when they realized they were surveying each other to see if anything else had been borrowed. Katie was wearing Lizzie's sweater, earrings and scarf. Lizzie had borrowed her sister's jeans and a necklace.

As the elevator doors opened, Gibbs smiled hearing the laughter of his girls. He strode into the squad room ahead of the team and over to his desk, placing kisses on his girls' heads. He set his cup of Jamaican blend on his desk and motioned for Katie to move. She complied and stole his treasured coffee as Lizzie went over to Tony's desk.

Ziva and McGee watched in confusion as DiNozzo and Lizzie shared a kiss. The two sets of eyes drifted over to Gibbs. He hadn't batted an eyelash at the sight. He merely continued discussing lunch options with Katie. Ziva narrowed her eyes as she watched the interaction. How had she missed Lizzie being Tony's girlfriend? She knew he had a girlfriend but hadn't imagined him having the calzones or was it cahones to date the boss's daughter. Of course, he'd date Gibbs' daughter. The idea had Anthony DiNozzo written all over it. She glanced over at McGee. McGee kept looking from the couple to Gibbs. Ziva smirked and continued watching Tony and Lizzie.

Elizabeth glanced behind her and smiled at Ziva. She propped her foot next to her boyfriend's thigh, nudging softly. Tony shifted and looked up to see Lizzie grinning at him. "Hurry up," she urged quietly as she snaked her foot over his thigh on her way to the next target.

"Boss."

Gibbs looked across the squad room. "Go to lunch, DiNozzo."

"Thank you, Boss," DiNozzo replied, getting up from his desk.

Lizzie slid off the desk and took Tony's hand after he put on his coat. He let go of her hand, opting to slip his arm around her and keeping her close instead. She smiled at him softly and leaned in closer to him on the brief walk to the elevator.

Ziva watched the pair walk to the elevator and did not take her eyes away until the doors closed. She looked over to Gibbs.

Gibbs helped Katie slip into her coat as he gave a look to the Israeli. She dipped her head and focused her attention on the computer screen. As the boss left with Katie, Ziva and McGee gossiped quietly about the revelation as to whom Tony had been dating all these months. The pair had many questions for the senior field agent on his return. To their dismay, Gibbs allowed them no time to talk after lunch. The questions would have to wait.

DiNozzo packed up his gear and turned the light off at his desk. McGee and Ziva had left over ten minutes ago. He had to cancel his plans with Lizzie, but she had understood. With her parents' lives, she knew how the life of agent was and could be. Still, he felt guilty when he had to cancel on her. On his way to the elevator, Gibbs nodded at him in passing. They were both on the way to their women.

Half an hour later, he put his key into the door and entered into the warmth of the apartment. The smell of pizza hit his nostrils, and he couldn't hide the smile on his face. He spotted Lizzie on the sofa and under a blanket. Lizzie had kicked her sister out as soon as Tony let her know he was leaving headquarters.

She reached for the remote and paused the movie. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied, walking over and leaning down for a kiss. "What's the movie?" He glanced at the screen. "_Adam's Rib_...1949...Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. You know, Judy Holliday was terrified of performing with Katharine Hepburn."

"I know, Tony."

"I know you do."

She took a sip of her wine as she smirked at him. "Take off your coat, get a glass of wine, a slice or four of pizza, and snuggle up with me," she ordered softly.

Tony walked into the kitchen, opening a pizza box. "Pepperoni, sausage, and extra cheese. My favorite." He snuck a peek into the other box. Katie and Lizzie had eaten most of the pizza loaded with pepperoni, ham, onions, green peppers, mushrooms and olives, but he might steal a slice of that also. After loading a plate with several slices, Lizzie came into the kitchen and poured him a glass of wine.

"I'm sorry about canceling."

"Don't apologize. I still get to spend time with you, and you know how much I love wine and pizza."

"And cuddling," he added and glanced at her feet. "No cold toes?"

"No, some guy bought me these fuzzy little booties to keep my feet warm. According to the grapevine, cold toes aren't appealing."

"That's a smart guy. Cold toes aren't appealing especially at 3AM, Liz." He thought it was cute the first few times that her feet had found his way to him for warmth, but the cuteness had worn off.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk."

"You love me."

"Yep, I do." Lizzie smiled at him, stealing a kiss before she entered the living room. She flopped onto the couch, starting the movie and becoming comfortable. Before hanging up his coat, Tony slid his hand into his pocket. He felt the square velvet box and looked back at Lizzie. He was unsure of himself, and Anthony DiNozzo wasn't used to the feeling.


	21. Chapter 21

As she eased onto the workbench, the redhead crossed her slender legs and folded her arms over her chest. She huffed a sigh and began tapping her foot. "What are we doing?" Her tolerance had dwindled significantly in the last moments. She'd rather be in front of a fire than in a cold basement.

"I'm waiting. You're being impatient," he replied gruffly as he approached her, placing his hand on her knee firmly.

She glared defiantly, but the look was lost as her knee was assaulted. "Jethro!" she shrieked, punching him in the shoulder.

He smirked. "Want me to kiss it?"

"Bastard," she muttered under her breath. "You could tell me what this is about, Jethro."

"It's a surprise." He wasn't 100% certain what it was about although his gut was telling him otherwise. He dumped out the mason jar and took the bourbon out of its hiding place, filling the jar with the amber liquid. He removed a clean glass from the stairwell and filled it, offering the bourbon to his wife. She accepted with a glare as she examined her knee. If she had fingerprint bruises, he'd pay for it tomorrow. He rolled his eyes and wandered around the boat.

Jen looked up in surprise as she heard the front door open. The surprise was a visitor? She didn't know how she'd enjoy this considering she was clueless as to who would be coming down the steps in moments. Her eyes widened when she heard a familiar yelp. DiNozzo. Why were they meeting DiNozzo in the basement late at night?

Her husband smirked as he observed his wife. Her brows furrowed in puzzlement and lips pursed as her green eyes flickered with plausible situations. He looked up at the doorway and stared at his senior field agent. "DiNozzo," Gibbs acknowledged.

"Boss," Tony greeted before looking to the redhead. "Jenny."

She smiled at him. "Tony, what are we doing here?"

"Can we do this in the living room?"

"What are we doing?" Jenny's voice rose with irritation.

Jethro walked over to his wife, taking her hand. "He needs to talk to us, Jen."

Her eyes darted up to her husband's pale blue eyes. "Oh," she let out slowly, allowing Jethro to pull her up and lead her to the stairs.

"Where do you want to talk, Tony?"

"Living room?"

Gibbs nodded his head and let the younger man lead the way. For his other half, realization was occurring. He could tell by the hitch in her breathing she was about to squeal with delight and quickly squeeze her hand. She glared, stepping on the back of his heel on purpose. A sly grin crossed her features as she heard Jethro's muffled curse for her underhanded retaliation.

DiNozzo glanced over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Everything okay, boss?" His reply came in the form of an intense glare. He cleared his throat and took a seat, watching as Gibbs and Jenny sat down on the couch.

The pair looked at him expectantly. Jenny stole a glimpse at her husband. He was utterly relaxed and waiting patiently for DiNozzo to speak.

Tony cleared his throat a second time. "I'd...well...I've been thinking about doing this for the last month or so...and uh I haven't exactly had the courage."

"Get it out," Gibbs urged.

"I need your permission," he blurted out.

"For?" Jenny implored, tightening her grip on her husband's hand.

"I want to ask Liz to marry me."

Jenny smiled softly at him. She had no qualms of giving him consent. DiNozzo reminded her of Jethro when he was younger. He was good for Lizzie, and she was good for him. She hadn't been doubtful of the relationship as Jethro had. "You have mine, Anthony," she answered.

Tony nodded his head, looking to Gibbs. "Do I have her father's?

Gibbs' knee was nudged, and he stopped staring at the carpet. He looked to Jenny, and the unspoken communication passed between them. His wife's eyes pleaded with him for allowance. He focused his attention on Tony. Decades ago, he had been in the same place...sitting in a chair across from Jenny's parents and wringing his hands with apprehension as he waited for an answer. After several moments of silence and gaining enjoyment of seeing Tony sweat, he nodded his head. "You have my permission to marry my daughter."

DiNozzo let out a long slow sigh of relief. He smiled and took a deep breath as he stood up to hug his future in-laws.

Jenny kissed his cheek and smiled proudly at him. "How long have you carried the ring?"

"Since December."

"When can I expect my excited phone call from my daughter?"

"Valentine's Day...or is that corny? Is it too corny?"

She shook her head. "No, Lizzie will love being proposed to on Valentine's Day," she assured, giving his hand a squeeze for good measure. Jenny looked at Jethro. "I'm sure he wants to talk to you." By the look on her husband's face, she knew he had more than a few thoughts churning in that head of his. She kissed him and took leave of the house.

Jethro motioned for DiNozzo to follow him down to the basement. He trotted down the stairs and to the workbench, pouring two fresh jars of bourbon. Tony followed and accepted the alcohol. The two were quiet as the bourbon was savored.

"Anthony," Gibbs said, breaking the silence. "That's my little girl. She'll always be my little girl," he paused, staring at him. "I'm the first man she loved. I won't stop you from loving her, but she'll be hard to let go. You won't understand until you have a daughter."

Silently, Tony nodded his head. He didn't understand how deep the love of a father ran, but he knew how deeply his love for Elizabeth Gibbs ran. "I love her. I want her in my life...for the rest of my life if she'll have me."

"Scares you senseless, doesn't it?"

He quickly nodded and took a drink of bourbon. "Definitely."

Laughter flooded through the basement. "It's normal," he said, refilling his jar of bourbon. "Got the ring?"

DiNozzo removed the box from his pocket and handed it over to Gibbs. "It's from Tiffany's, but I took it out of the box...didn't want anything to happen to the box," he explained further.

Gibbs slowly opened the box, taken aback by the simplicity of the engagement ring. He'd been expecting flashy and over the top since DiNozzo picked out the ring. However, his selection was elegant, uncomplicated, and was a perfect choice to adorn Elizabeth's finger. "You did good," he told as he closed the box and gave it back.

"Thank you." He took the ring and put it back into the safety of his pocket. He felt more confident with Gibbs' approval. He finished his drink and began shaking his head. "I thought getting your approval would be the hardest part. Now, it's asking her."

Gibbs smirked. "She'll know. You'll be nervous as hell and not acting right. She'll pick up on it. Just don't knock over a glass of wine like I did."

Tony couldn't imagine Gibbs being nervous or much less knocking over a glass of wine because of anxiety. He followed the older man over to the boat and sat down. His mason jar was refilled. "Whoa, boss."

He rolled his eyes. "Drink it. If I let you into this family, you'll start drinkin' bourbon."

The two sat quietly on the boat, drinking bourbon for several hours. DiNozzo learned the Gibbs' version of his proposal to Jenny. He was certain Jethro's better half told the story in more detail. After over an hour of storytelling and more than half a bottle drained, the pair said goodnight and parted ways. Soon, DiNozzo would be proposing to Elizabeth. Until then, he would be praying on a daily basis for her answer to be the favorable response.


	22. Chapter 22

Elizabeth stamped her foot softly in frustration as she looked over her shoulder, cursing the zipper. She couldn't quite get it the rest of the way. She padded into her sister's room and walked over to the desk where Katie was making play lists and burning cds. "Help?"

Katie nodded her head and motioned for her sister to turn around. She had been on stand-by to assist and was the reason Lizzie's hair was perfectly curled. In seconds, the back of the dress was zipped. "You are going to freeze your ass off," she commented about the dress. The dress was Lizzie's absolute favorite little black dress, and little meant a revealing wide open back and nearly exposed shoulder from the asymmetric neckline.

"That's what coats are for."

"Wait...which coat?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes and knew she was correct in assuming it had been borrowed. Hopefully, the coat wouldn't have had alcohol spilled on it or smell of cigarette smoke from Katie going bar hopping the previous night. "The Burberry I got for Christmas from Grandma."

"In my closet."

"Why don't you get it? I still have to do the finishing touches. And why did you take mine anyway?"

"Mine is at the cleaners. Jameson on the rocks and a margarita were spilled on me," Katie explained as she entered her closet to get the precious coat. She retrieved the single-breasted coat and delivered it to Lizzie's bedroom. "Anything else?" she asked, watching Lizzie scurry about her room.

"I don't think so," she answered as she put in her diamond earrings. With the neckline of the dress, she'd decided to forgo wearing a necklace and to keep it simple. "Well?" Lizzie asked, turning around.

"Perfect."

"Make-up isn't too much?"

"It's great...trust me. I'll get that clutch I bought yesterday."

Lizzie spritzed her perfume and touched up her lipstick before slipping into the black stilettos. She grabbed the coat and walked into the living room of the apartment. "Perfect!" she squealed as Katie handed over the leopard print clutch.

"You need a little pop." Katie wanted to give her sister a smack upside the head to get her to calm down but thought it better not to voice that opinion.

She found her purse and transferred a few items into the clutch. "Do I have everything?"

"You don't."

"What am I?" Her blue green eyes widened as she realized she was completely forgetting Tony's Valentine's Day gift. She rushed into her bedroom and retrieved the box from its hiding place. As much as Tony considered himself a top of the line investigator, he hadn't found his gift, and she knew he had searched. She opened the box, smiling to herself. He would have a heart attack over his present.

Tony paced in front of the apartment building. He was rehearsing what he would say...if he could figure out what to say. He scratched his head in frustration and glanced at his watch, rolling his eyes. He needed a new watch considering the current watch was on the blink. "If I'm late, she'll kill me," he mumbled. Before entering the building, he checked to make sure the ring was still safe in his pocket. He met Katie in the lobby on her way out. She was going to spend her Valentine's Day out with her single girlfriends.

"Where are you going?"

"Out," she replied simply.

DiNozzo smirked. Katie loved giving him short answers to get on his nerves almost as much as he loved pushing her buttons.

"A few of us are going to dinner to celebrate Single Awareness Day."

"Where are you going to dinner?"

"Firefly."

He nodded his head. He had chosen more upscale for tonight.

Katie raised an eyebrow. "Where did you make reservations?"

"701."

"I heard about the Palena fiasco."

DiNozzo rolled his eyes. Over a week ago, he had been making dinner reservations at Palena until Gibbs had come over and disconnected the phone along with giving him a headsmack. He was quickly informed that Gibbs always took Jenny to Palena for Valentine's Day. He was given an ultimatum of choosing another restaurant or getting his legs broken.

"Crisis averted. Stay off the bourbon, Katie. I'd hate for you to wind up on mommy and daddy's doorstep like last time."

"I do that one time, and it's all I hear about..." she muttered as she walked out of the building.

He continued on his way to the apartment. Before knocking in his typical manner, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was moments away from changing his life forever. He slowly knocked on the door and let himself inside. Stepping inside, he realized he shouldn't have ever remembered Lizzie's love for scented candles. As part of her Christmas present, he bought her several scented candles. The apartment strongly smelled of vanilla cookies and café au lait. A song hit his ears as Lizzie told him just a minute, and he knew he'd be proposing before dinner. He hummed along to the soft strings of the music and sang along with Michael Buble, smiling at Lizzie as she emerged from her bedroom. Tony stared at her, taking in the sight of her. He loved seeing her in that dress. He stood up and walked towards her, giving her a single rose. "Breathtaking," he whispered before kissing her deeply.

"Thank you. You're pretty handsome yourself," she returned, stroking his face. "Happy Valentine's Day." She straightened his deep red tie. As handsome as he was in his tailored black suit, she couldn't help thinking about getting him out of it.

"Happy Valentine's Day." He looked down at her hands and took them carefully into his own. "I know we agreed to exchange presents after dinner, but I want to give you yours now."

She felt the nervousness running through his hands and looked him in the eyes. "Do I need to sit down for this?"

He shook his head. "Avril Elizabeth Gibbs...dating you has been a learning experience. I've learned if you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get you always got. While what I got before you had its perks, I looked for something different, and I found something different. I want to keep what we have for the rest of my life." With that, he took a knee and slipped the box from his pocket, opening it to reveal the platinum princess cut engagement ring. He looked up, staring into her misty blue green eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Lizzie nodded her head quickly. "Yes," she vocalized her acceptance even though she felt as if she needed to pinch herself to wake herself out of this dream. She blinked back tears as Tony stood up and slipped the ring onto her finger. She was taken aback by the ring. It was so simple yet so perfect. She slipped her arms around his neck, engaging him in a kiss and not pulling away until they both needed air. She ran her fingers through his hair as she admired him. "Best Valentine's Day gift ever."

He grinned like a cat with a canary as he rubbed her lower back. "I was going to pop the question after dinner."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"What made you change your mind?" she asked quietly, playing with the collar of his jacket.

"I was reminded of the first time I met you."

"How, Tony? My arm isn't in a cast or sling."

"Remember how I had to drive your car?" He watched as she nodded her head. "Your car smelled of vanilla and Ralph Lauren Romance and _Me & Mrs. You_ was playing then."

She smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," he returned. He lifted her coat off the sofa and helped her into it.

"Wait," she spoke suddenly. "You're missing something."

"Liz, what are you talking about?"

"You'll see. Close your eyes."

"Liz," he whined.

"Close them, please."

He obliged and closed his eyes. For several moments, he wondered what she was doing. Lizzie moved to stand in front of him. "Ready."

He opened his eyes and took the case from her with a raised eyebrow. His eyes nearly came out of his head when he opened his gift. "Liz, you shouldn't have. This is...this...is..."

"A Rolex," she finished for him, taking the watch and his wrist.

"It's..."

"What you've wanted for months, and I'm the best girlfriend in the world for giving it you." She put the steel and yellow gold watch on his wrist and smiled with pride at selecting a gift which had rendered him speechless.

After several minutes of him staring at the Rolex in disbelief, he stammered his appreciation for the gift and her. "You're welcome," she replied, blowing out the candles and turning off the music. She smiled at him, taking his hand after buttoning and tying her coat. "Let's go before we're late."

As soon as they hit the lobby of the building, Lizzie was making phone calls and announcing their engagement. Katie didn't believe it, but she did after being sent a picture of the ring. She tried her father's cell after getting off the phone with Katie. "It went straight to his voicemail." She dialed her mother's number, and she answered on the third ring. "Mom, are you sitting down?"

"Yes, Lizzie. Is something wrong?" Jenny looked over at Jethro and winked at him.

"No, nothing's wrong."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm engaged," Lizzie squealed. As soon as her daughter started the cries of excitement, Jenny did too. In different cars and areas of the city, Tony and Gibbs had the same reaction. Both grimaced in pain from the shrieks of joy as they reached a whole new level of intensity. It didn't help Lizzie had her phone on speaker so did Jenny.

Jenny cleared her throat and regained her composure. "Your father wants to talk to you, sweetheart." She passed her phone to Jethro.

"I'm happy for you, Lizzie."

"Thanks, Daddy."

"Let me talk to Tony."

Lizzie gave the phone to her fiance with a smile. Tony didn't bother taking it off speaker.

"Decided to ask before dinner," Gibbs said to him.

He glanced over at Lizzie who had a questioning look on her face. "I did. The moment was right, and I didn't want to risk knocking over a glass of wine."

Gibbs smirked as Jenny started giggling in the background. Tony reminded himself to get the proposal story from her. "Good call, DiNozzo. Come by the house tomorrow."

"We will."

He handed the phone over to Lizzie. Both knew he'd ended the call. She slipped her hand into Tony's free hand. "How did daddy know?"

"I asked his permisson along with your mother's."

A small smirk graced her features. He had been planning this a while, and she had been oblivious. She was surprised he had the incentive to ask for permission. In her plans for the next few years, she hadn't included becoming engaged, but she knew life happened when you were making other plans. She smiled at the thought of being Elizabeth DiNozzo and planning the wedding. Nothing could take her off her cloud of engagement bliss or so she thought.


	23. Chapter 23

Leroy Jethro Gibbs stalked through his home after returning from being out of the house for hours. His prized boat had taken the brunt of his frustrations, but the usually calming work hadn't eased him. A tree in his backyard received more of his anger yet he was still brewing and simmering underneath. The meter of his temper began to rise as soon as he set foot in his home. He dropped the bag of firewood he had chopped in the doorway of the study, narrowing his eyes in a glare at the empty desk. Of course, she would not be occupying the study.

His redheaded source of frustration was enjoying a cup of chai tea in the den. She had heard him enter the house and the thunderous noise of whatever he'd dropped to make his entrance known to her. She had heard his vehicle pull up and park, so the entrance was unnecessary in her opinion. With a raised eyebrow, she smirked and sipped her tea. As she flipped through her issue of Time and calculated his arrival by the heavy footsteps, she prepared herself for the inevitable next round.

Jethro leaned against the entryway and observed his wife. Her silence was fueling his temper. She hadn't glanced at him or made any other move to acknowledge his presence. He rolled his head to the side and chose a corner of the ceiling to focus his glare on.

"Jethro," she finally spoke. "You're sulking."

"I do not sulk."

"Oh, yes you do sulk," she returned coolly as she flipped a page.

"Jen," he began.

She turned her head towards him. Her green eyes letting him know it was useless to start. Still, he continued his fight.

"I should be the one to go."

"No."

"I knew him as well as you did."

She nodded her head. "Yes, you did, and I will be paying your respects for you."

"Jenny."

"Don't Jenny me, Jethro. I've made my decision. You are staying behind."

"I'm better at protecting you than Tony and Ziva."

"True."

"Then let me go."

"No."

He rolled his eyes and silently cursed her obstinacy. He knew her better than Tony and Ziva. He could anticipate her every move and read her mind. He should be the agent accompanying her on the damned trip.

"Jen, I'm going with you."

"No, Jethro."

"Are you forgetting what happened last time Tony and Ziva were your protection detail?"

"Yes, I remember. I do recall Ziva getting me out of harm's way."

Jethro heaved a sigh and regained his focus on the ceiling. He didn't look at her until she cleared her throat. She had moved to stand inches away from him.

"Anything more to say?"

"Me and Ziva should be your detail."

"Jethro, I can take care of myself."

He snickered. "Right."

Jenny cocked her hip to the side, folded her arms over her chest, and locked her eyes into his with a smoldering glare. As a probie, she had found herself in plenty of situations she shouldn't have because of her brash and bold ways. She was no longer Gibbs' probie and no longer as reckless as she'd once been. She was the Director of NCIS, and her husband's boss even though he favored to trash the fact from his steel-trap mind. "We are finished with this discussion. Ziva and Tony will be my protection detail in California. You will be staying here. That's an order, Jethro. By the way, you should get cleaned up. Lizzie and Tony are coming over."

"We aren't done!"

"Yes, Jethro...we are."

As she exited the den, he kicked the doorframe and cursed under his breath. He shook his head and watched her walking away from him. As much as he thought about rebelling, he followed his wife's advice of taking a shower however. He grumbled throughout the shower and slammed the door as he exited, roughly drying his body moments later. Cooper trotted into the master bedroom and flopped onto the floor. He watched as his owner began shaving. The German Shepherd put his paws over his dark brown eyes as if he knew what was about to happen. Jethro cursed and threw his razor into the sink. "Dammit," he mumbled, ripping off a sheet of toilet paper and putting it to his jaw line. He hated when he cut himself shaving. He turned to his side, staring at the large dog. He smirked. Cooper was on his hind legs, and his front paws were placed on the counter. "Don't give me that look, Coop," Gibbs said to his bathroom companion. He was answered with a lick to the side of the face. Cooper let his paws slide off the bathroom countertop and trotted out of the bathroom. "You better not take sides with her," he called to the dog on his way out the door.

Downstairs, Cooper greeted his guests with a bark and several licks to their hands. DiNozzo thanked the heavens that the animal hadn't decided to greet him in the usual manner. The usual manner consisted of Tony sporting paw prints on his shirt and having to wash his face afterwards.

Jenny came out of the kitchen and into the foyer, greeting her daughter and future son-in-law. "Jethro's upstairs. He should be down in a few minutes. Until then, tea or coffee?"

Tony shook his head. "No, thanks."

Lizzie asked for a cup of tea, and her mother disappeared to make her the tea. She grabbed her fiancé's hand and pulled him into the den. Tony sat down at the end of the couch and smiled as Lizzie plopped down, snuggling herself into his side. He placed a kiss to the top of her head before slipping an arm around her.

Jenny caught them kissing as she entered the room. She hated to inform Tony of his next assignment considering he was newly engaged. She handed Elizabeth the cup of tea, smiling at her and taking a spot in a nearby chair. "How's the engaged life?"

"It's great," Tony answered.

Small talk was made until Jethro came into the den. Tony noticed the toilet paper with the large red dot and grinned. "Cut yourself shaving, boss?"

In typical Jethro Gibbs fashion, his response was a glare that clearly told Tony to shut it. Tony glanced at Lizzie, and she merely shrugged her shoulders. She didn't want to guess why her father was in a foul mood.

Jenny smirked and walked over to her husband, removing the makeshift bandage. "Do I need to kiss it and make it better?" she teased in a singsong voice.

"No," Gibbs replied brusquely and sat down.

The tension combined with hostility between the married couple answered the engaged couple's questions. Tony cleared his throat. He found it to be insufferable when his two bosses had issues in the office, but it was much worse on the home front.

"You gonna tell 'em, Jenny?"

"I was warming up, Jethro."

"Tell us what?" Lizzie questioned with a troubled look.

Jenny looked at her daughter and Tony. "I hate to do this since you've only been engaged for a few days, but you'll have to be separated for two days at the most."

"Why?" Tony asked.

"Tony, you'll be my protection detail along with Ziva. A former agent and friend of ours passed away yesterday."

He offered his condolences and remained quiet as she further explained.

"We'll leave in two days for California."

"What agent, mom?"

"William Decker."

"What happened? He wasn't too much older than you and daddy." Lizzie had met Decker a few times during her childhood. He had a good heart and told great jokes. At her age, the jokes didn't seem all that funny now.

"Heart attack."

She nodded her head and looked at her father. "Why aren't you going with her?"

"See!" Gibbs exclaimed and pointed at his daughter. At least, someone shared his point of view.

Jenny rolled her eyes at her husband before looking to her child. "Thank you, Elizabeth," she said, voice laced with potent sarcasm. "Your father isn't going because someone needs to make sure the agency remains intact while I'm away. Tony and Ziva are more than capable of being my protection detail."

Lizzie nodded her head. She knew her mother had assigned Tony to be her protection several times before. She didn't bother asking if she could go on the trip since it was business. She would miss him, but his work was important especially when protecting her mother.

"Are you pleased with your assignment, Agent DiNozzo?" Jenny asked in her Director tone. The look on her face and in her eyes was telling him he damn well better be pleased with it.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Lizzie and I will get started on dinner. Katie should be on her way. Jethro, Cooper probably needs to go for a walk."

He answered with a noncommittal nod of his head and stared at DiNozzo as the women left the room. The younger man cleared his throat and followed Gibbs into the study for a bourbon. Gibbs slowly sipped the alcohol. His gut was starting to bother him over his wife's California trip. He would not say one word to Jenny. She would dismiss his instinct as silly. To him, he was wondering if his gut was failing him. There was no reason for it to be acting up yet the infamous Gibbs' gut had never been wrong before. He shrugged his shoulders and drained his tumbler of bourbon. He momentarily forgot who lived in California. His gut always gave him problems at the thought of Helen Shepard. Maybe that was the reason yet the voice telling him it was something more drummed in his ears.


	24. Chapter 24

He opened his eyes and glanced over at the clock. Usually, he hated waking up before the alarm sounded. He smiled as he realized he had an extra hour to spend with the woman he loved. Lizzie rolled over, stealing his covers yet snuggling into his side. She sighed softly in her sleep while moving her head to his chest and putting an arm over him. He had to admit it was hard to be mad about her stealing covers when she looked so damn angelic while sleeping. Tony made no effort to move and merely watched his fiancée dream.

Twenty minutes later, Lizzie opened her eyes. She buried her face into Tony's neck, laughing softly. "I hate when you watch me sleep."

"I can't help it. It's the only time you're angelic."

Her teeth nipped his shoulder, and he yelped. She gently placed herself on top of him. "You better not find any wide awake angelic looking women in Los Angeles."

He shook his head. He found enjoyment in the subtle jealous streak. "Elizabeth Gibbs…I wouldn't. The only woman I plan on watching closely is your mother."

Lizzie smirked and rearranged herself to be more comfortable. "Good. Now," she whispered into his ear. "Let's make use of the time. After all, it'll be two long days." She began placing light kisses on his neck, chest, and continued her way down his body.

Tony let out a content sigh and accepted his send off.

Meanwhile, Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat at the foot of the bed, watching his wife go in and out of the master bedroom, her closet, and bathroom. He glanced over to the two suitcases at the doorway. "Jen…Jenny," he huffed, always irritated with her last minute checking. "Jennifer."

She stopped in her tracks and glared at him. "What, Leroy?"

"Don't ya think you packed everything last night?"

"I'm making sure I did. If I haven't, it's your fault."

A self-satisfied grin spread over his lips. He may have been a hindrance to her packing. "I was just tryin' to help."

"Uh huh," she muttered, walking over to the bed and stroking his face. "My husband…always so helpful."

"That's me."

"Always such a pain in the ass, stubborn, never plays well with others…" The redhead had plenty more to say, but the sudden kiss shut her up. It was one of the few ways Jethro could make her be quiet.

She pulled away from him, smiling and green eyes sparkling. "Handsome and such a good kisser."

He smiled. "And good in bed. Good at protection details too."

Jenny straightened, standing to her full height. She gave him a decided glare and crossed her arms over her chest. "Took you longer than I expected, Jethro."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Jenny, you're too goddamn stubborn. I should be going with you."

"Me? Too goddamn stubborn? Who's the one still chewing on this like a dog with an old bone?"

"You know what they say, Jen, can't teach an old dog new tricks."

She cocked her hip to the side, staring at the floor and trying to hide the smile on her face. She sighed softly. He wasn't trying to be such a pain in the ass, but he _was _an old dog. He hated learning new tricks which explained his lack of use with technology. She couldn't teach him to let go of her. He wasn't one for letting go of the reins. One of the best things he did in life was protect especially her. "Jethro," she said softly as she made eye contact with him. "Come here."

He cautiously approached his wife. She slid her arms around his waist and hugged him to her softly. "Stop worrying. I'll be back in two days in one piece. Tony and Ziva will make sure of it." She lifted her head and looked into his blue eyes. "Now, take my bags downstairs. No more complaining or arguing. I don't want to leave that way."

Gibbs nodded his head. He was worried, and he couldn't pinpoint the reason. She was right. His wife didn't need to be leaving for the west coast with them in a fight. As he walked away to take her bags, she popped him on the ass playfully. "That's a good Jethro." She erupted into laughter as he muttered several words about redheads.

As he dropped the two bags in the foyer, he was still muttering. The front door opened. "Hey daddy," Katie greeted him, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

He hugged his oldest tightly and kissed the side of her head. "Missed your hugs, Katie."

She pulled back slightly and stared at him, reading his face. She admitted she'd been too busy academically and socially lately. By the look on her father's face, she would cancel her plans. "Hey…have I told you about what I'm doing tonight?"

"Nope."

"I have a date with a marine."

Gibbs furrowed his brows. He knew how marines could be and how Katie could be. "Katie…"

"Wait, daddy…let me tell you about him. He's in his 50s and is known as a silver haired fox to some," she finished, grinning.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm the only marine you better ever go out with."

"It's a date. Me, you, pizza, bourbon, boat, and a basement."

He smiled at her, nodding his head. He looked up to the stairs when he heard heels clicking.

"Good…you found the time to tell your mother bye," Jen remarked to her daughter.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Okay, I know I haven't been around much lately."

"You haven't been around at all." She missed her daughters. Yes, she realized they had lives and didn't need her as much, but it was a bitter pill for her to swallow.

"I was here for dinner on Sunday, mother."

Jenny raised an eyebrow as she checked her phone. "Dined and dashed."

She sighed heavily and looked at her father for help. He held his hands up.

"Okay, I get it, mom. You miss me."

"I do. Let's have a spa day when I get back."

Katie nodded her head. She exchanged the same look with her father after her mother's cell began ringing. They witnessed her demeanor change in seconds. "Director mode," the two voiced in unison. They went into the kitchen for coffee while waiting on the others to arrive.

In the back of the limo, Ziva checked her watch. She hadn't doubted Stanley and his punctuality, and traffic wasn't a problem so far. The car stopped in front of Tony's building. The Israeli let the window down, ready to fire back at DiNozzo for whatever wisecrack he'd make to her. However, her mouth fell open. There were few occasions when shock truly came over her.

"Car's here," Lizzie said breathlessly. She needed air after the sidewalk mini make out session.

"One more." Tony rested his forehead against hers.

She smiled and kissed him softly before taking his hand. She turned and witnessed Ziva's stunned face. In one swift move, her elbow found Tony's ribs. "You hadn't told Ziva and McGee?"

He winced. "Not exactly."

"Ziva knows now."

"Hey Ziva!" Tony smiled brightly and opened the door of the limo.

"Morning, Tony. Lizzie," she acknowledged, scooting to allow them to slide in. She had been suspicious of her partner seeing someone, but she hadn't expected it to be a Gibbs. Her eyes widened when she caught the engagement ring, and her mind began to race back over the last months. The trip to Los Angeles would be an out of the ordinary experience. DiNozzo not ogling women. No McGee to be the buffer between them. In a way, it could be refreshing. At the Director's home, goodbyes were said and done. The two agents would quickly learn traveling with the NCIS Director was much different than traveling with their team leader.


	25. Chapter 25

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo had become accustomed to traveling a certain way. Most of his travel was by means of vehicle or cargo plane with Gibbs, except that one time on a Gulfstream jet. He did his absolute best to contain his excitement when he realized they would be flying to Los Angeles on a Gulfstream. Jenny had called in a favor. This way, they didn't have to go through security or the other hassles of commercial airline travel.

The Director took her spot in the leather seat by the window and checked her phone. She rolled her eyes at the text message from Katie. She knew her oldest was lying about telling her grandmother about the trip. She wasn't going to let her mother know she was in the state of California. There would not be enough time to visit with Helen Shepard.

Ziva took a seat and watched Tony act like a child in a toy store. He was exploring all the gadgets of the jet and rambling away about the specifications. Ziva did not care. Her job was to protect the Director. This was not a mini vacation. This was work.

He finally stopped moving around and started digging through his bag. He smiled when he found a small care package. Eagerly, he opened it and realized Lizzie was too good for him. She'd packed his favorite snacks. He read the note, smiling to himself. Ziva leaned over to see what he was reading. He quickly moved away from her. He put the note in his pocket and pulled a box from the bag.

"Sour patch kid?" He offered to Ziva.

She pushed his arm away. "No, Tony."

"Lighten up, Ziva. Enjoy the ride." He popped a green sour patch kid into his mouth.

"I'm not going to listen to you bicker while we're on this plane," Jenny admonished.

"Yes, ma'am. Sour patch kid, Director?"

She couldn't help but laugh at her future son-in-law. "No thank you, Tony."

He shrugged his shoulders. More for him. In all honesty, he was looking forward to getting out of D.C., but he was terrified of this protection detail. He wasn't protecting the Director of NCIS. He was protecting the mother of his fiancée and the wife of his boss. He munched on his snacks and drank plenty of cokes.

When he left for the bathroom, Ziva moved from her seat and sat down next to Jenny. Jenny put her pen down and looked at the Israeli.

"Yes?"

"Tony and Elizabeth are dating."

"Yes," she answered.

"Does Gibbs know?"

"He knows."

"Is it serious?" Ziva questioned. She never thought of Tony being in a serious relationship.

"They're engaged."

Ziva tilted her head and stared at the older woman. "Engaged?"

"A few days ago."

She sat back in her seat, soaking in the shock. Jenny laughed softly. "The world isn't ending, Ziva."

"Yes, but Tony…" she stopped as her partner came back into the area.

"We'll discuss this more later," Jenny said.

Ziva nodded and relocated to her original seat. For the rest of the flight, she stared at Tony off and on. In Los Angeles, they picked up the rental, loaded the luggage, and drove to the hotel. As Jenny checked them in, her phone began ringing. She answered. "I was about to call you."

"Landed okay?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes."

"Checked into the hotel yet?"

"Doing that now."

"Changing and going to the funeral?"

"Jethro, yes," she answered, exasperated. He knew the plan for the day.

"Just checking, Jen."

"I know. I'll call you later tonight. Don't ruffle any feathers while I'm out of the office." She knew he shouldn't. It should be a quiet day at headquarters since they were doing a bug sweep.

He smirked. In his opinion, he never ruffled feathers. "I'll leave you alone until you call me."

"I love you, Jethro."

"I love you too, Jen."

She hung up the phone and gave Ziva the room key. She looked around. "Where's Tony?"

"On the phone."

"Oh." Jenny nodded her head. She knew he was on the phone with Lizzie. He came into view and took his room key from her.

The trio settled into their rooms and changed for the funeral. They stood outside waiting for the valet to bring the Cadillac around. Ziva and Tony argued over who should drive. Jenny had listened to them long enough.

"Enough," she said sharply. "Tony will drive." She didn't want Ziva navigating traffic. Also, she wanted to return to D.C. alive. Tony proudly sat in the driver's seat of the car and waited for the two passengers to get into the vehicle. He drove to the church, and they began the protection detail. Jenny saw many faces she hadn't seen in years. Tony and Ziva watched her closely along with the surroundings. So far so good.

They stood outside of the church side by side, watching Director Shepard.

"I was proud to call Special Agent Decker my friend even after his retirement I knew that he was never more than a phone call away. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved girlfriend, Sasha. I know that William loved her very much," Jenny said to a reporter.

"Sure he did," Tony commented as he watched the blonde walk to a limo and get inside.

"We're at a funeral, and she's 22."

"Yeah." He may be engaged, but he could still admire.

"Is that why we're here? So you can google the girls?"

"Ogle," he replied firmly. "and no, we're here to accompany the Director. Also, I'm a taken man, Ziva."

She decided not to comment on his relationship status.

"Decker died of a heart attack. Not in the line of duty. I hardly think our presence is necessary." Ziva scanned the parking lot before watching Jenny walk to the guest book.

"NCIS code of conduct…paragraph one…subsection B. Any interim state travel made by the NCIS Director must be accompanied by…"

"Shh," Ziva cut his rambling off. "You're making this up."

"Yes," he answered. "But she always is accompanied by two senior agents for security purposes. And if it's not a rule, it really should be."

Ziva laughed at how ridiculous he was being. She went back to focusing her attention on Director Shepard.

Jenny signed the guest book and overhead a conversation from behind her.

"Sorry. What was that name again?"

"Mr. Oshimida." The man had a strong Russian accent.

Jenny straightened. Her heart stopped. Her breath hitched. She had not heard that name in a little over two decades.

"First name?"

"There more than one?"

She swallowed hard and opened her black clutch, taking out her compact to see behind her.

"No, sir. In fact, there's nobody here by that name."

"Check again," the Russian said.

"Sorry, sir…I've checked the registry twice. There is no Mr. Oshimida, but if you'd like to leave your name perhaps I can…" the attendant explained as the Russian walked away.

Jenny closed her compact. She followed after him quickly, taking her phone out of her clutch. She snapped photos of him getting in a black Lincoln Navigator with a blonde driver. As the SUV pulled off, she snapped pictures of the license plate. She turned, facing the agents and putting her phone away. She walked towards Tony and Ziva, attempting to compose herself.

"Director, are you ready to go?" Ziva asked.

"No. Actually, I'm not."

"No rush. You know, we'll just hang out," Tony spoke. He noticed a slight change in Jenny's mood.

"No need to wait for me. In fact, we are not due to fly out until tomorrow, so why don't the two of you…"

"Yes, sure…" Tony interrupted.

"Take the rest of the trip off," Jenny finished.

"Right. Sure. So you want us to call you a taxi or…?" Tony asked.

Jenny held out her hand for the keys to the rental car.

"You want the car. Of course." He took the keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. "We…we'll figure something out. Thanks….alright drive safe. That L.A. traffic's a little weird." He watched Jenny walk to the car hurriedly while getting on the phone.

Jenny called the one man who could help her fix the problem she created those many years ago. Her second phone call was to Abby. She drove to a hole in the wall hotel to meet Mike Franks. He had retired before she joined NCIS. She'd never met him. She never found herself in Mexico where he preferred to stay. Through the years, she'd heard plenty of stories about him from Jethro. When they were unable to vacation as a family, Jethro would take off for Mexico to drink beer and fish with Mike. Mike wasn't too fond of his Probie marrying a fellow agent.

Mike watched Jenny get out of the Cadillac. He'd made himself at home in the cheap hotel. "Take it the Ritz was booked," he said to her, holding a decanter of alcohol and an ice bucket.

She stared at him through her aviators. She had never truly dealt with the retired agent. She was slightly taken aback by him.

"Ice," he said, swinging the bucket.

She walked towards him.

"Better be a damn good reason you had me jump on the earliest flight out of Mexico."

"You ever work with Special Agent William Decker?" she asked as they walked to the ice machine.

"He hired on the year I retired. Why? He in some kinda trouble?"

"He's dead, and I'm next."

She had made the decision not to include Jethro. At all costs, she would not involve him. She would take care of this herself like she should have done over twenty years ago. This would end here.


	26. Chapter 26

Returning to the hotel and to his suite, Tony called Lizzie. He left her a voicemail. He pulled out the Hawaiian shirt Lizzie had bought for him and a pair of khaki pants. He was in L.A., baby. Time to blend in with the locals even if he hadn't seen any in Hawaiian shirts. He grabbed his phone when it started playing Lizzie's ringtone, _Me & Mrs. You_. He smiled and answered. "Hello, beautiful."

"Hey. I wasn't expecting to hear from you til later."

"Bad time? Got your other boyfriend over?"

She laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Missing you."

Lizzie smiled. "I miss you too. Is mom being a good protectee?"

"I don't know. She gave us the rest of the day off."

"What, Tony? Why?"

"I don't know. She gave us the rest of the trip off and took the car. Me and Ziva had to take a cab back to the hotel."

Lizzie sat down on the couch of her apartment. That didn't seem right to her, but she wasn't a federal agent or had any idea of how protection details worked. Maybe her mother had decided to visit her grandmother. Jenny wouldn't want to submit two agents to that torture. "Oh."

"I wish you were here. The weather's great. We could be poolside with a couple of drinks."

"We'll take a trip to Los Angeles together. Maybe this summer. Katie's going for spring break."

Tony missed the days of spring break. He'd had many wild times. Some he could remember, and some he couldn't. He told Lizzie a spring break story and had her laughing. The two talked for half an hour before he decided to check out the hotel pool.

He found Ziva in a lounger and reading a book. After much convincing to get the Mossad officer to leave, he and Ziva were waiting for the valet to bring a fire red Mustang GT to them. He planned on cruising down Sunset Boulevard.

Meanwhile, Jenny was picking the lock to William Decker's home. She had briefed Franks on why she had called him away from fiesta and siesta time. At first, he thought it was insane that a woman in charge of an armed federal agency would need his help. Mike Franks was on her husband's short list. Gibbs trusted him with his life, and that was more than good enough for her. She explained it was a classified operation. The mission was to infiltrate a Russian spy ring. Decker had been their contact agent. Oshimida was a code word they were supposed to use if their cover had been compromised. She knew all involved were in trouble after hearing it earlier. Franks didn't have but one foot in the door of getting involved with Jethro's wife. After being told Gibbs was the other agent, he was in the door and ready to go with her plan.

She pushed open the door and smiled to herself. She hadn't lost her touch. Franks entered the house first. His eyes scanned the living room.

"Gibbs teach you that?"

"Gibbs doesn't teach. You watch; you learn," she answered, drawing her gun from her hip.

"You learn. I taught," Franks replied gruffly. He went to one side of the room with his gun while Jenny took the other side. The pair cleared the rooms. Franks stopped at photos of Decker and Sasha.

"We're taking a risk coming here."

"Local LEO's may have missed something."

"I doubt Decker's killer left behind a calling card."

"If he was here, he left something behind." Her green eyes looked around, falling onto a MacBook Pro on the coffee table. "Or Decker did." She made her way to the computer. "He was a pro," she said to Franks, sitting down on the sofa and opening the laptop.

"Yeah, got a little careless in his retirement." He didn't know why anyone wouldn't retire the way he had. His life was simple.

The two heard a noise from another room. Jenny sprang to her feet and removed her sidearm. They circled a closet door. Jenny opened it cautiously. They quickly put the guns away at the sight of Sasha. After being told she wouldn't be hurt, Sasha recognized Jenny from the funeral. They explained bits and pieces of the reason for them being there to Sasha. She was helpful to them. They learned from her of an insurance policy and of a diner out in the desert. Franks took the key from the grieving blonde. Jenny told her to leave and gave her the keys to the rental. Franks learned the excursion would be just the way he liked it. No paperwork. They sat in Decker's home, looking over maps.

They were making more progress than Tony and Ziva who were stuck in traffic. He turned up the Beach Boys, and Ziva quickly turned the radio off.

"I do not like this. Something feels off."

"Yeah, it's the transmission."

"No, it's about the Director. Tony, we are her escorts. We're supposed to be escorting."

"If you want to call and ruin her day, go ahead." He offered Ziva his phone, and she found Jenny on his speed dial.

Her phone ringing interrupted Jenny bitching about Franks not getting a car with navigation. She took a deep breath when she saw it was DiNozzo calling. "Yes, Agent DiNozzo?"

"Um, hi Director. How's everything going? How's the paperwork?"

"Slow…too many interruptions."

"Well, it's a beautiful day to be stuck inside." And traffic he thought.

"You need something, Agent DiNozzo?"

There was her use of Agent DiNozzo. He hadn't heard that from her in months.

"No, just checking in with our fearless leader." He quickly looked at Ziva when he heard a male voice speak. He didn't recognize the voice.

"What'd I tell you, Tony?"

"Not to call you our fearless leader."

"And?"

"To take the day off." He glared at Ziva. He knew he was pissing Jenny off.

"Enjoy your time in L.A. because believe me I could always find something for you to do." She ended the call.

Tony threw his cell phone into the cup holder. "Paperwork had a deep voice."

"She is with a man…does not mean she is sleeping with him."

"You're right." She was a married woman. She wouldn't cheat on Gibbs.

"She's hiding something from us." Ziva talked him into tracking down the GPS coordinates of the Director's vehicle. She was worried about her friend.

On the way to the desert, Franks pulled over for a bathroom break. Jenny called Abby to see what information she had for her. She learned from Abby the Russian was Viggo Drantyev. There was no background on him except that he flew in from Moscow three days ago, rented a car, checked into a hotel, and checked out earlier in the morning. Viggo Drantyev was a burn alias. Jenny told the forensic specialist to erase the search.

Franks looked at Jenny from his crouched position at the passenger side of the Mercury Grand Marquis.

"So Drantyev hits town and before sundown…your boy Decker is dead. Not enough for a conviction."

"Enough for me," Jenny said.

"Who is he?" he asked. Silence was on Jenny's end. "You don't know." Franks realized.

"I know who sent him, and I know who he's after."

Franks shook his head. Redheads. Women were stubborn, and he didn't understand them half the time. He never understood Gibbs' love for them because redheads were ten times worse to deal with than a blonde or brunette. He was learning this off the books soiree into the desert with Jenny was not going to be a walk in the park.

At the Santa Monica pier, DiNozzo and Ziva found Director Shepard's rental. The car was parked and undamaged. Tony parked the car and was ready to leave. Ziva had other ideas. She got out of the Mustang and examined the interior of the Cadillac. Everything appeared to be fine. She got back into the car, and DiNozzo started to drive off. He brought the car to a halt when they saw a black and white a few spaces down from Jenny's vehicle.

"This is not good," Tony stated, parking the car.

They walked down to the beach, flashing their NCIS badges. On the crime scene, Sasha was in a crumpled heap. They spoke with LAPD. Ziva could not leave the Director out of her thoughts. Tony was trying to be logical. Sasha had been dead for two hours, and they'd talked to Jenny within the hour. He wanted to believe it all to be coincidence. Maybe Jenny was with her mother. Maybe that's where the man's voice had come from. Helen Shepard was a flesh and blood woman. Maybe she had a man in her life. He walked away from Ziva and texted Lizzie, asking for her grandmother's phone number. She texted the number to him and wanted to know why. He'd tell her later. He took a deep breath and called Helen Shepard. He listened to it ring several times. He was about to hang up when she answered.

"Hello?"

"Helen, this is Tony. Anthony," he corrected.

"Hello, Anthony. Why are you calling me?"

"I was wondering if your daughter is with you."

"Jennifer? No. Why would she be with me? She's in D.C., isn't she?"

DiNozzo winced. He hadn't known that Jenny hadn't told her mother about coming to Los Angeles. He laughed. "Oh yeah…sorry to have bothered you. I fell for one of Katie's pranks."

Helen didn't believe the young man, but she let him off the phone. He hung up and turned to Ziva. "We need to find her. Her mother lives in Bel Air. I called her, and she's not there."

In D.C., Lizzie threw her phone after Tony did not pick up. She wanted to know now why he needed her grandmother's phone number. Her mother wouldn't ditch detail. She respected rules and protocol. Her father was the one who bent the rules. She thought about calling her father but decided not to. He hadn't been keen on Tony and Ziva being the protection detail in the first place. If anything was wrong, her father would know. She blew out air and paced her living room.


	27. Chapter 27

Franks and Jenny arrived at the abandoned diner in the middle of nowhere in the Mojave Desert.

"My kinda place," Franks spoke as he got out of the sedan.

Jenny surveyed the area and listened to Franks talk. She was trying to calm herself. She didn't know how this would play out. In the field, one never knew how something would go. She hadn't been in the field in years and was feeling rather unsettled.

"I'm not much of a people person."

"I noticed."

"Not that I don't like 'em. They never seem to like me."

Jenny turned and looked at him. "Decker didn't have that problem." She dropped the key to the diner into his hand.

"Then why is he dead?" Franks asked.

Jenny didn't answer. It was her fault. Franks continued to the door, telling her they'd be found if the Russians had learned of Decker's insurance policy.

She turned and looked over the desert in front of her. A million thoughts raced through her mind. She didn't know if she'd leave the diner or die here. She wanted to call Gibbs and her girls, but she couldn't. Her family still needed her, and she needed them. If she died today, she hoped her family especially Jethro would understand her reasons. She was protecting him.

Inside the diner, Jenny looked for the insurance policy. She had gone through several boxes while Mike walked around and complained. She didn't understand how Jethro got along with him. There had been several times she wanted to shoot the man, but she needed him.

"Thought you knew where this insurance policy was."

"I never said I knew," she answered him, annoyed. "Decker said I did."

He came to stand behind her. His eyes couldn't help but drift to her rear. Jethro did have good taste.

"And stop looking at my ass," she said.

Franks rolled his eyes. He'd been caught. He turned his head away. "Not much else to look at. Of course, it might help if you were to tell me what I was lookin' for."

Jenny sighed, giving up on the box she was looking in and standing up. "Decker knew someone was after him. And he knew why," she finished, facing Mike.

"Your mystery op."

She nodded. "Any useful insurance policy would contain names."

"Viggo."

"Real names…targets, dates, plus operational blue prints, photos," she told him.

"We got plenty of those," Franks responded, motioning to the framed photos on the wall of the diner.

Jenny looked to the wall, zeroing in on each of the pictures. Her mind flashed back to the mission with Jethro. Of course, the answers were in the photos. She walked to them. She took a photo from the wall.

"These dates are wrong." She took more off the wall and asked Franks for a pen. They took to the table. She explained the wrong dates and started writing them down. "This is some kind of code."

"Bank routing number?" Franks asked. "Too long for a cash account."

"Safe deposit box," Jenny wondered aloud. Her cell began ringing. She sighed as she looked at it. "Ziva again." She had been ignoring the calls from both agents.

"You don't answer it…they're gonna call in the SWAT team."

She hit the answer button. "This better be World War III, Officer David."

"Sasha Gordon is dead."

Jenny's eyes widened and her eyebrows rose in shock. She didn't want an innocent life to be taken today. "What happened?"

"LAPD's still investigating," DiNozzo told her. They were on speakerphone with the Director.

Ziva continued. "It appears that she broke her neck in a fall. Director, she was found less than a 100 meters away from your vehicle. Where are you?"

"When?" Jenny asked.

"Three hours ago," Tony answered.

"Director, we were assigned to protect you. This is not just a coincidence. Where are you?" Ziva asked the last question with her voice changing in pitch with determination to get an answer. She needed to know. Director Shepard was in danger.

"I don't appreciate your tone, Officer David. And despite what Special Agent Gibbs may have told you, coincidences do exist. And that is what we have here."

"Okay, but," Ziva began.

Jenny cut her off sharply. "I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about. I'll meet you later to take the red eye flight home." She ended the call and looked at Franks.

He stepped closer to her and learned Sasha had been killed. Ziva believed Jenny was lying. She knew she was lying. Her instincts were telling her so. It angered her that Tony did not want to get involved.

"What is wrong with you? She's our Director! She's the mother of your fiancée and Gibbs' wife! We have to find out, Tony!"

Tony had learned it was best to let Jenny be. "She's a big girl. She can take care of herself. Besides, probably is a coincidence anyway." He got into the car.

In the abandoned diner, Jenny paced. She felt guilty for Sasha's death. The Director and retired Special Agent surmised Sasha had most likely talked. The Russians would be on their way. Franks wanted to leave, but Jenny stood firm in her decision to stay. He had no choice. He would stay. Gibbs would never forgive him if anything happened to Jenny on his watch. Franks pulled a gun from his ankle. It was clean. No serial number.

In Santa Monica, Ziva and Tony argued over telling Gibbs. Both didn't want to tell the Boss that they'd let the Director out of their sights. They compromised by calling McGee. He tracked the Director's cell phone. Both were shocked to discover she was over 50 miles away from her car. Ziva cranked the car. They would be en route to save her. While they drove, Jenny prepared herself for a gunfight. She cleaned the gun Franks had given her.

The retired agent had his feet propped up on a table and smoked a cigarette, watching her intently. "You always clean your gun before a fight?"

"It's not my gun," she answered, putting the clip back in. "You always sit on your ass before one?"

He laughed. She had fire. He'd love to see her put Jethro in his place. "What should I be doing?"

"Assessing our situation."

He took a drag from his cigarette. "You read that in the manual?"

She rolled her eyes and listened to him tell her of the building specifications. She needed to move around. She got up and walked over to a booth. "I never said thanks."

"Thank me later."

Jenny turned her head and looked at him. She felt the knot in her throat. She hoped she would be able to thank him later. The thought of death was weighing heavily on her. She didn't want to die. She wasn't ready. There were so many things she hadn't done with Jethro. They wanted to go back to Paris. She needed to see her girls graduate from Georgetown. She was supposed to be helping Lizzie plan a wedding and needed to see her youngest daughter get married. She wanted to die of old age. Now, she wasn't sure if she'd have that luxury. After all, they didn't know how many would be coming to the diner. They could both die today. She climbed into the booth and sat on the back.

"When I first heard that Decker died of a heart attack, I was relieved," she admitted.

"Gibbs did say you were complicated."

"Relieved because I always knew that there was a chance this could come back to haunt us, and it's my fault."

Mike looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He understood why she was the way she'd been about this.

She continued. "I couldn't kill my mark. I was assigned to kill the fiancée. A few days before, I'd found out I was pregnant."

"With the girls?"

Jenny nodded her head. "Svetlana begged me not to kill her. She told me she was pregnant. I couldn't pull the trigger. I didn't tell Jethro. He's thought I made the kill all these years. Decker was the only one who knew I hadn't neutralized the target."

"We all make mistakes." He wouldn't have made a mistake like that, but he understood her choice. He hoped he made her feel better. "You got plenty of time to make right."

Jenny nodded her head, gazing out the window and thinking of Gibbs, Lizzie, and Katie. She wondered what Gibbs was doing. If he was in her shoes, would he have navigated this day as she had? If she didn't come out alive, she prayed Lizzie and Katie would know how much she loved them. She thought of Jasper, her sweet little boy that had been taken from her too soon. There was comfort in knowing she may be reunited with him once more. She closed her eyes, listening to the silence. Jenny wondered if Tony and Ziva would ever forgive her for ditching them. This was not their battle. It was hers. She didn't know Tony and Ziva were on the way. McGee had given them the address of the diner.

The pair continued to trade stories. Jenny's sides hurt from laughing as Mike relayed a story of Jethro being drunk and deciding to take the unfinished boat on a midnight ride. Mike had to jump into the freezing water and get the inebriated son of a gun out. Mike shook his head, laughing. "After that, I realized your husband didn't need to mix tequila and bourbon. Speaking of refreshment, think there's anything in this dump?"

Jenny shrugged her shoulders. "Might be." She began to look around, finding a worse for wear box of Earl Gray tea. "Found some tea!"

"What kind?" he asked from his lookout spot.

"Does it matter?"

"I only drink lemongrass."

He was full of surprises. If he liked lemongrass, maybe she could get Jethro to drink tea. She had been wanting him to cut back on caffeine. "You just don't strike me as a tea drinking kinda guy," she told him with sarcasm.

"And people say I don't open up." He grinned. She wasn't so bad. She was sort of growing on him.

"Well, no water. So much for the tea." Jenny threw the box onto the table.

"I spotted a water tank out back."

"I'll go," Jenny offered.

He put his hand up. "Let me. I've gotta hit the head again anyway." He walked to the side door. "You're up."

She let out a deep breath and folded her arms across her chest, looking out the window. Was she ready? She saw the black Lincoln Navigator pull into the lot. Hurriedly, she took her position to face the gunmen.

Franks heard the gunshots as he filled a pitcher with water. "Ah hell," he muttered. He dropped the pitcher and ran towards the diner. He fired two shots, killing the injured two Jenny had left. He swallowed hard when he saw her. She had held her own, but not without getting shot several times. The puddle of blood was forming quickly. He kneeled down and checked her pulse. It was faint, but still there.

He was about to call Gibbs with Jenny's phone when he heard a car pull up. Franks quickly darted out the back of the diner, staying a distance away. He watched Tony and Ziva quickly get out of the car. Upon seeing the bullet holes, they drew their guns and ran to the diner. They entered cautiously. Ziva entered first. Tony followed, checking a door and clearing it. They scanned the dead bodies. What the hell happened?

Ziva froze when she noticed a body. "Tony."

He walked towards her. He followed her eyes. His heart stopped. He felt like his throat was in his chest as he saw Director Shepard's body in a pool of her own blood. He walked to her, kneeling down and checking for a pulse. She had a pulse, faint at best. This was his fault. He should have known better. He looked back to Ziva. He snapped his head back to Jenny when her phone started ringing. It said, "Gibbs." He stood up and showed Ziva. He hit the answer key and put the phone to his ear.

"Jenny," Gibbs said. He felt as if something was very wrong. "Jenny," he repeated. "You there?"

DiNozzo cleared his throat. "Boss."

Gibbs could tell by DiNozzo's voice something was wrong. He steadied himself for it.

"Gibbs, she's…"

"DiNozzo, what's wrong?"

"She's…" Tony swallowed hard and felt tears forming. He had failed miserably. "You need to get out here."


	28. Chapter 28

Gibbs was on the first flight out of D.C. for California. He called Ducky on the way to the airport. The long time family friend was given the job of telling the girls. Jethro owed it to Helen to call her and tell her about Jenny himself. Jenny had been airlifted out and taken to the nearest hospital. Helen arrived at the hospital first. She sat in the waiting room for hours with Jethro. Her daughter's injuries were severe. She'd taken hits to the arm, shoulder, abdomen, and chest. After hours of surgery, the doctor came out and spoke to them. It was touch and go. The doctor did not expect her to make it through the night.

"I need to see her," Jethro said.

"Only for a few minutes. She's still critical."

He nodded and followed the doctor to the room. He touched the door handle and put his head down. He hadn't cried until now. He took in a deep breath and opened the door. He wasn't looking at his Jenny. His Jenny was full of life. She was motionless and hooked up to too many machines. Slowly, he walked over to the bed and pulled a chair close, sitting down. He took her hand and kissed it. "Fight, Jen. I still need you. We all do." He put his forehead against her hand. The doctor allowed him to stay longer than a few minutes. After two hours, he had no choice but to leave. He was thrown out. She was being taken back into surgery.

Jethro kicked the wall and watched her being wheeled away. "Dammit, Jenny…fight." She had to pull through. He wasn't ready to be a widower a second time. His first wife had been killed after witnessing a murder. Until meeting Jenny, he didn't think he could love anyone as much or more. She had shown him it was possible and had healed his wounds. The thought of losing his best friend chilled him to the bone.

Helen came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Jethro," she said softly.

He turned around and looked at her. She held her arms out for him. The two cried together in the hallway. In a few hours, the girls would be at the hospital. He would need to be strong for them. He returned to the waiting room with Helen. She watched him pace, thinking how wrong it would be if she survived her daughter. She pushed out the thoughts and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. She needed to be strong for Katharine and Elizabeth too.

A taxi had dropped the girls off at their grandmother's Bel Air home. As soon as they put their bags down, the same taxi took them to the hospital. Katie felt her sister no longer walking beside her. She stopped and looked behind her. "Lizzie."

Elizabeth hadn't moved a muscle. She stood, staring at the building with red rimmed, puffy blue green eyes. She heard her sister repeat her name. Lizzie shook her head. "I can't."

"We'll do it together." She held out her hand for her.

"Katie, I…I can't."

Katie nodded her head, knowing not to push. She walked to her sister and hugged her. Lizzie was the more fragile of the two. "Sit down on that bench over there. Okay? I'll be back in a few minutes."

Lizzie nodded her head and sat down while her sister went into the hospital. She put her arms around herself. She felt as if her world was crumbling around her.

Katie heard her grandmother harassing a nurse for information on Jenny's condition. She walked over and stood next to her grandmother.

"Oh, sweetheart," Helen gasped, putting her arms around her granddaughter in a tight hug. She could see her oldest granddaughter was on the verge of tears. "Your mother had to be taken back into surgery. No one will tell me anything," she said harshly, glaring at the nurse. "Where's your sister?"

"Outside. Lizzie isn't able to come in. I tried to get her to come."

Helen nodded her head. Lizzie hadn't cared for hospitals since her brother's death. Katie wiped at her eyes. Gibbs walked from the cafeteria and saw Katie with Helen. He prepared himself for seeing his girls.

"Daddy," Katie said to him, hugging him.

He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "She'll pull through, Katie. I promise."

She nodded her head and pulled away, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I know." Her mother was a fighter.

Jethro squeezed her hand. "Stay with your grandmother." He didn't have to ask where his missing daughter was.

Katie watched him walk out of the hospital. Outside, he looked in both directions, spotting Lizzie on a bench near the entrance of the hospital. He walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey kiddo." He opened his arms for her.

She went into them without hesitation, burying her face into his chest and sobbing. She didn't know how it was possible for her to have tears left to cry. He rubbed her back and kissed her head. He held her until the crying slowed.

"Daddy, I should have told you. I should have called you after Tony wanted grandma's number. I should have," she choked out, burying her face deeper.

Gibbs sighed heavily. She didn't need to blame herself. She had no reason to blame herself. He took his little girl by the shoulders. "Hey, look at me."

She lifted her head up, wiping her eyes and looking at him.

"Listen to me, Elizabeth. It's not your fault. Your mom's got a chance. If she's ever had a chance, she's taken it. She'll take this one." He kissed her forehead. "Now, c'mon."

She wiped at her eyes and nodded her head softly. She went into the hospital with her father. They waited and waited. Jethro mainlined coffee while Helen badgered the hospital staff. The girls' phones were going crazy with texts and calls from the team in D.C. Abby checked in every half hour through texts. Lizzie hadn't heard from Tony. She wanted to text him but locked her phone, resting her head on Katie's shoulder. Katie had drifted into sleep against Helen. She looked at her granddaughters and was thankful they could sleep. She knew they were physically and emotionally exhausted. Helen glanced at the clock with a sigh. The time seemed to drag.

An hour later, the doctor entered the room to explain what he'd done during the second surgery. There had been more internal bleeding, and Gibbs became lost in the medical jargon. From what he understood, the doctor had almost lost Jenny on the table. He was grateful the girls were sleeping and hadn't heard that information. For now, it seemed as if Jenny was in a more stable condition after the second round in the operating room.

In CCU, the visiting hours were over and had been for quite some time. The nurse assigned to Jenny let Gibbs know she would sneak him and the family inside. He woke the twins up, passing on bits and pieces of the information about their mother.

Lizzie stayed with Helen. She couldn't bring herself to see her mother hooked up to a ventilator, chest tube, and God knows what else. Katie went with her father. Inside the room, she gasped and turned into her father's chest, crying softly. She tried to tell herself it looked much worse than it actually was, but it was still painful to see.

"What I tell you? She's going to pull through. Katie, you gotta believe it."

"It's just…"

"I know."

He stood back, watching Katie go to the hospital bed. He blinked back the tears in his eyes. The girls didn't need to see him weak. Katie had never wanted to hear her mother's voice so much in her life. She sat down and listened to the monitors beep. "Mom," she whispered as her eyes filled with tears. "I love you. I know I don't say it enough to you. Please don't." She stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

The nurse knocked on the glass of the room, motioning to her watch. Gibbs nodded and walked over. "Time's up, Katie." He squeezed her shoulder and looked at his wife. He stroked Jenny's bangs away from her eyes. "I'm going to get the girls taken care of, and I'll be back, Jenny."

After a trip to Bel Air, Gibbs returned to the hospital. He became acquainted with the hospital's cafeteria staff on his many coffee trips. He needed air and took the time to return the dozens of phone calls from Ducky, McGee, and Abby.

There were four hours before CCU visiting hours began. He was grateful the nurse from earlier was still on shift. He learned her name was Faith. She allowed him into the room. He sat down by his wife's bedside, hoping she'd wake up soon. She was fighting since she made it through the night. He dozed off and on.

The vibrations of his cell phone woke him up. Jethro popped it open and squinted to read the text message. He looked at the clock on the wall and stood up. Carefully, he kissed her forehead. "I gotta go, Jen. When I get back, I want to see those green eyes. You hear me?" He squeezed her hand and left.

He drove like a bat out of hell to the diner. He called Ziva, telling her to wait there. He was on his way, and they had better damn well listen to his instruction. He flew into the lot of the diner. He barely had the car in park before he got out. Tony walked out, carrying an evidence box. He dreaded seeing Gibbs. The two men stared at each other. Neither of them saying a word. Gibbs walked towards him. "I said to wait," he spoke sternly.

"I said not to," Leon Vance said, coming out of the diner.

The Assistant Director of NCIS was not his favorite person. Jethro saw the bloody gloves on Leon's hands. His wife's blood.

"This is my crime scene," Vance told him.

"Leon," Gibbs said.

"You called SecNav. He called me."

Gibbs turned and looked at DiNozzo. Tony lowered his head. He wouldn't ever forgive himself if Jenny didn't live. Gibbs looked to Ziva. At least, she could make eye contact with him. She didn't have anything to be guilty about. Gibbs brushed by Vance and stepped into the diner.

"I'm sorry, Jethro." Leon meant it. He wanted to become Director of NCIS but not this way. He only wanted to fill Director Shepard's heels when she retired.

Jethro stepped into the diner, surveying the area. There were evidence boxes and bags everywhere. He walked through, seeing the bloodstains and cards marking where the gunmen had been. He felt the Assistant Director's eyes on him. Gibbs paused a few feet away from the largest pool of blood. He wasn't a man to show his emotions often. He rarely showed them in front of people he didn't consider himself close to, and Leon Vance counted as one of those people. His blue eyes became watery at seeing the card labeled Shepard.


	29. Chapter 29

Gibbs listened to Vance as he recounted what he believed to have happened at the diner. He didn't understand how this all happened or why. He had questions running through his mind, but his eyes kept going back to the spot where his wife's body had been. If she'd let him be on her protection detail, she wouldn't be in CCU.

As soon as Vance told him there were four .45 caliber shell casings and no gun, he knew whom Jenny had involved. He followed Leon out the side entrance and listened to him. There was no blood. Only tire tracks.

Gibbs watched Tony and Ziva as they made a plaster of the tire tracks.

"I'm sure you want to get this bastard as bad as I do," Leon said, answering his phone and walking away from Gibbs.

The silver haired agent stood with his hands in the pockets of his Carhartt jacket. Tony was unable to make eye contact with him still. Ziva stared at him. She didn't know what to say to him. He motioned them over with his finger. Ziva stood up, walking over.

Tony did not move. He stared off at the ground. He didn't know what to expect from Gibbs. Would he pulverize him for jeopardizing his family life? He was to blame.

"What'd ya got?" Gibbs asked Ziva.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," Ziva said softly. "We are sorry."

"What do ya got?" He repeated. Sorry was not good enough.

"It's not a lot," Tony finally spoke and moved from his spot. "Tire tracks are from a second vehicle." He stood in front of Gibbs, dodging the older man's stare. "We're working on it."

Gibbs continued looking at DiNozzo. He needed an explanation. He had taught his team better than that so he thought.

"We shoulda tailed her. Ziva…Ziva wanted to tail her."

"Yeah. Why didn't ya?"

Ziva knew this would not end well between the two men. "We were given an order," she explained, hoping Gibbs would understand.

"Uh huh. And you followed it," he said penetratingly. If it didn't feel right, one didn't follow an order. Rule number 3: Don't believe what you're told. Double check.

"And now Jenny's…"

"Fighting for her life," Gibbs finished.

Tony lowered his head. There were too many if's. If he had listened to Ziva. If he had listened to his gut. If they hadn't stopped for gas. If they had called McGee sooner. If they had calls Gibbs. If…

Vance walked back over to the trio. "We keep a lid on this. No press. No public statements. Understood?"

"Understood," Tony stated.

"I'm headed back to D.C. with the bodies. Agent Gibbs, you will remain here and oversee my investigation. I'll expect a call when you're finished." Vance put his shades on and walked to his Buick sedan.

Gibbs watched the egotistical Assistant Director leave. Of course, he would stay in California. He had his own investigation to handle. He didn't care for Vance's agenda. "DiNozzo."

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Oversee his investigation," Jethro told him. He didn't trust Leon. He walked away from the two agents. "Then call me."

As he left the diner, he received a phone call. He pulled into the gas station a few miles away. He began fueling when the Mercury Grand Marquis pulled up to the pump next to him. Franks got out of the vehicle.

"You're late," Gibbs said to his former boss.

Franks smirked. "Least of my problems," he replied, slamming the door.

"Well, I got another one for ya. Vance knows there was someone else at the diner."

"My tire tracks." He shook his head. He hadn't had time to cover his tracks better. "I'm not the only one with a problem. Jenny almost died protecting someone."

"Who?" Gibbs asked. She would only go to extremes for him, her daughters, and her mother. He racked his brain, trying to think of a reason why she'd get herself into a four on one gunfight.

"You," Franks said to him.

Jethro tilted his head to the side. How was he inadvertently involved? A gas station was not the place to have this talk. The pair changed locations to a café. Gibbs called Ducky, updating him on Jenny's condition. He told him to pass the information to Abby and McGee. He hung up and walked into the café, taking a seat next to Franks.

Franks stirred his coffee. He didn't want to have this conversation.

"Everything," Gibbs spoke.

"She called me two days ago and said she needed some help from someone outside the agency," he explained while stirring his coffee.

Gibbs took a drink from his coffee cup. "Another one of her ops." There were plenty of operations he didn't know about. There were some things above his clearance level.

"One of yours."

He put the cup down and looked at Mike in surprise. He and Jenny hadn't worked together as partners in years.

"Europe."

"Well, I spent a lot of time in Europe, Mike."

"She wasn't specific." He turned and leaned in, lowering his voice. "What I tell you about leaving them loose ends?"

"Not to. We didn't." Jethro shook his head.

"Well, you screwed the pooch somewhere." Franks didn't want to be a tattletale. He knew it was Jenny's fault about the loose ends. "Decker's cover was blown. They found him. Made it look like a heart attack."

"They?"

"Decker's funeral. There was a guy named Viggo. Came looking for a man…Oshimida."

Gibbs glanced to the ceiling. He knew the mission. He remembered like it had been yesterday. It was classified. Franks didn't need to know.

"Relax, probie. Classified went out the window two days ago. I know Oshimida was the code you used if your cover was compromised."

"In Paris. 21 years ago," Gibbs said.

"Yeah. Decker resurrected it when they found him. Instead of giving you up, he sent you a warning. Bought you guys some time."

"Not enough," he responded sadly.

"She knew what she was getting into. She was protecting you."

Gibbs shook his head. He did the protecting. He took a drink of coffee and put the cup down, moving inches from Mike's face. "Who protected her, Mike?"

There was silence on Franks end. Jethro continued to stare him down.

"What happened?"

"I was out back. I saw 'em going in the side door. Too late," he explained sadly. "I did what I could."

"Yeah, you always do." Gibbs turned away from him, rubbing his face. He felt betrayed. Tony not keeping Jenny safe was a whole different issue. He trusted Franks with his life yet Franks had let his wife nearly die. The sting burned deeply into him.

"If you're looking for an apology…"

"I know better."

"I'm sorry, Gunney."

Gibbs nodded his head. He glanced at the waitress, refilling his coffee cup. "We left Paris clean."

Mike tried not to smirk. "Yeah, Jenny told me, and I mighta bought it except there were three agents on that op. One is dead and one's critical," he finished, staring at Jethro. His former partner sipped his coffee.

"The op…how many?" Franks asked.

Jethro flashed back. He had made his kill, Alatoly Zukov; he had taken care of his assignment. The KGB hit man who sold his services to the highest bidder after the Cold War was dead. He hadn't come back from the grave.

"One each."

"You verify the kill?" Mike asked as he stirred creamer into his coffee.

Jethro turned his head, looking at him in disbelief. Of course, he verified his kill.

"Her kill?" Maybe Franks would need to be a tattletale. It was possible Jenny wouldn't live. Gibbs would need to know what he was up against. If he could put a seed of doubt into his mind…

He shook his head. "Jen's a pro."

"I noticed."

"What about Decker? I hear he had a thing for the ladies."

Gibbs was growing more and more annoyed with the conversation. He didn't care for the fishing expedition. If Mike knew something, he needed to tell him. Spit it out and get it over with. "What is your point?" he asked, irritated.

"Maybe he was compromised."

"We got out clean," Gibbs told him firmly.

Franks turned to him. "Jenny knew something you didn't, Probie. And so did Decker. He knew this might not be over. Left an insurance policy." Franks dug into his jacket pocket and removed a pen. He wrote down the numbers of the policy on a napkin. Gibbs picked up on them being coded in photos and listened to Franks explain how they'd burned the originals. He gave the napkin to Gibbs.

"I'll let you know," Gibbs said, putting it into his jacket pocket.

Franks eyes widened. "You need me on this one, Probie. Viggo was just a hired gun. There's someone else out there."

"It's not your fight, Mike."

He glared at him. It was his fight. It became his fight as soon as Jenny told him to get on a plane to California.

"Vance is looking for you, so go back to Mexico. Give my goddaughter a hug for me."

Franks cleared his throat and left the diner. Gibbs paid for the coffee and got into his car, calling McGee. In the squad room, McGee was running down the renter of the Grand Marquis on DiNozzo's instruction. He answered his phone. "Boss."

"Hey. Got a pen?"

"Boss, I'm…I'm sorry."

"Got a pen?" Gibbs asked a second time. He didn't want apologies. Jenny wasn't dead. She wasn't going to die.

"I got a keyboard."

Gibbs gave the agent the insurance policy number even though he wasn't sure if it was a policy or what it was. McGee would tell him. While McGee was asking questions, the results came back on the renter of the Mercury. Gibbs told McGee to erase the search. He knew Vance would be breathing down everyone's neck. He hoped McGee wouldn't crack under the pressure. He was on his way back to the hospital to see his family.

At the hospital, Katie paced in the waiting room. She rubbed her forehead and glanced at Lizzie. Helen was in the room with her daughter.

"I hate this."

"Me too," Lizzie answered.

"I want her to wake up. I want to know what the hell is going on!"

"We have to wait."

"I'm sick of waiting. I want to rewind these last few days. I want," her voice cracked.

"Everything back to normal," Lizzie finished her sentence, getting up and hugging her.

Gibbs entered the waiting room and watched his girls stare at him. "Daddy?"

"I'm taking care of it."

They nodded, knowing not to ask questions. He walked closer to them.

"I have to go back home and tie up loose ends."

"But daddy…what if mom wakes up and you're not here?" Lizzie asked.

"She'll know what I'm doing."

"How?" Katie asked sharply.

Gibbs looked at her. "She'll know."

Katie wanted to argue with him. She bit her tongue and watched him kiss Lizzie on the forehead. He stood in front of Katie and hugged her, kissing her cheek. "Hold everything in place while I'm gone," he whispered.

She nodded her head and watched him leave the room. She had the feeling she would never truly know why her mother was involved in a showdown at a diner. Everything was confidential. Katie flopped down in a chair and put her face in her hands.

Lizzie went into her grandmother's purse and fished out the car keys. "I need air. Tell Grandma I took the car."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"Lizzie!" She wanted to wring her sister's neck. Why was everyone leaving? They needed to stay at the hospital. Lizzie needed to actually set foot in their mother's room, but she hadn't. Katie felt like she was at her rope's end with patience.

"Don't. The longer I sit here," she swallowed hard. "The more I feel like the walls are closing in."

Katie stared at her. "Fine. Go. Whatever."

Lizzie shook her head and left. She took a deep breath once she was out of the hospital. Her pace quickened as she made her way to her Grandmother's S-Class Mercedes. She unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat, resting her forehead on the steering wheel. Like her sister, she wanted to hit the rewind button. As Elizabeth cranked the sedan, she thought maybe it would be better to fast forward. She needed to escape. Her head needed to be clear for the decisions she would have to make.


	30. Chapter 30

Elizabeth pushed stray strands of hair away from her eyes as she stared over the Pacific Ocean. The past week of her life had been a blur. The days lapsed into one another. Time stilled at the wrong moments. She pushed her toes into the sand of the Malibu beach as she watched the waves crash. She wanted to get lost in the ocean. As she watched the waves flow in and out, her emotions did also. Lizzie shuddered, thinking about the sudden changes. She hadn't wanted anything to change; she loved her life and the people in it. Her mother's life had been hanging by a thread over a week ago. She wiped a tear from her cheek. She hadn't set foot into the CCU area. Drawing on her father and sister's strength was not enough to aid her in setting foot in her mother's hospital room. She swallowed hard and buried her face into her knees, crying. What sort of daughter couldn't visit her mother in a hospital? Jenny had been awake for three days.

Lizzie wiped the tears from her eyes. Her engagement ring sparkled in the west coast sun. Her relationship with Anthony had changed. The two hadn't spoken since the battle at the diner. She had called and texted him for two days with no response. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, yet it couldn't be worse than what she had been put through. Didn't he realize she needed the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with? She shook her head, trying to knock loose the doubts. They would not leave. Was she ready to get married? Did she want the life of being the wife of a federal agent? She knew the life. As the diamond caught her eye, she knew what she had to do. She took the ring off and slipped it onto the third finger of her right hand.

As she walked to the car, her phone started to ring. She answered it with hesitation. "Hey Daddy," she said softly.

"Lizzie, she's asking for you."

"Okay." She ended the call. Her father had not talked about what he did when he was gone for two days. In a way, she didn't want to know. Katie had her suspicions and theories. They both knew the problem had been taken care of since he had handled it. Leroy Jethro Gibbs did not leave loose ends.

She drove to the hospital and arrived after cursing L.A. traffic too much. Helen met her near the entrance to CCU. She grabbed her hand, ready to praise her granddaughter until she felt no engagement ring.

"Elizabeth."

"Not now, Grandma."

"Elizabeth," Helen repeated as she kept a hold of her granddaughter's hand.

"Not now," she repeated firmly, pulling her hand away. "I have to see mom."

Helen shook her head, watching her granddaughter continue down the hall. She didn't know what was going through that head of hers. Later, she would find out.

Jethro stepped outside of the door and noticed Lizzie. He smiled at her. "Took you long enough."

"Traffic. Is she…?"

"She's sitting up and plotting how to break out of here. She beat me three times in a row playing poker. Lizzie, she's still your mom. Just takes a while to heal. Go in and see for yourself." He squeezed her hand. Lizzie had been distant. He knew it was for more than one reason. Lizzie hadn't mentioned Tony, and Tony hadn't said a word to him about Lizzie. Jethro understood the guilt DiNozzo was feeling. He had told the agent it wasn't his fault about Jenny.

Lizzie nodded her head and stepped into the hospital room. He watched the smile on his wife's face. She was doing surprisingly well, but he knew she had a long road to being 100% herself. Jenny was off the ventilator, and the chest tube had been removed days ago. He was glad to see Lizzie finally visiting. He and Jenny knew it would take her time. After a few days, Jenny's patience had worn thin. She wanted to see her little girl. Jethro needed coffee. He left for the cafeteria.

Jenny smiled at her daughter and held her arms out. She felt more normal since Katie had brought her silk pajamas, makeup, perfume, and other essentials to make the hospital stay easier. "Come here!"

Elizabeth wanted to run to her and fling her arms around her, but she didn't want to hurt her. She carefully hugged her and buried her face into her neck, crying.

"Honey," Jenny whispered, kissing her head.

She pulled away from her and sat on the bed. "I thought you were…"

Her mother put her finger over her lips. "Don't say it. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Lizzie smiled through her tears and hugged her. Jenny rubbed her back and kissed her cheek. "I know you hate poker. How about Go Fish?" She asked, cutting the cards.

"You're not mad?"

"About?"

"Not…coming in to see you sooner."

Jenny shook her head. "We all have to do things at our own pace. You've always had trouble with acceptance like me, Elizabeth."

"What changed?"

"Your father taught me to accept. It didn't come naturally for me." She dealt the cards.

Elizabeth picked up her cards and put a match down. Jenny raised an eyebrow.

"What's new?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Uh huh," she said. "Any fives?"

Lizzie handed over a card. Her eyes grew large when her mother grabbed her hand.

"Why is your engagement ring on your right hand?"

"I must have not been paying attention when I put it on this morning."

"Avril Elizabeth, you've always been a terrible liar."

She looked down and sighed, twisting the ring.

"I'm thinking of calling off the engagement."

Jenny closed her eyes and fell back against the pillows. This was her fault. "Why, Elizabeth?"

"I think it's best. I've needed him here, and he hasn't been here. He hasn't answered my calls or texts. He let you nearly get killed!"

"He did not! It was my decision to ditch detail. Tony followed my order. Elizabeth, there are things you'll never understand. There are choices we make that will haunt us. I made a choice 21 years ago, and it came back. I knew it had found me when Decker died. I made the decision of not involving your father. I knew I could have died, but you and Kate would still have one parent. It's over now, and I'm still here. I don't want you to make a choice that will haunt you. Please, Elizabeth…listen to me. If you should be mad at anyone, be mad at me!"

"I have to go," she said shakily, throwing the cards down and sliding off the bed. She couldn't understand her mother's choices or how Tony could have obeyed an order when he knew something was off.

"Elizabeth!" she called to her as she darted out the door. "Dammit," she mumbled.

Jethro walked into the room and saw his wife trying to get out of bed. He rushed over and grabbed her. "Hell no, Jen. I don't think so." He was met with a green-eyed glare.

"Jethro! Let me go. Now." She grimaced from the pain of standing up. It was too soon to be on her feet.

He missed hearing her say his name even if she was aggravated. No one said his name like Jenny could. He shook his head and sat her back down on the bed. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"After Lizzie."

He sighed. "What happened?"

"She wants to call off the engagement."

"Jenny, she can make her own decisions."

"It's not the right one, Jethro."

He agreed with his wife, but he knew to stay out of it. The only way he would step in would be if he was needed. "If her mind is made up, it's made up."

She glared at him. "A mind can be changed, Jethro."

Gibbs laughed. "Not likely."

Jenny elbowed him in the side then put her head against his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her. "It's my fault. I ruined our daughter's life."

"You didn't, Jen."

"They'll both be in therapy in a few years."

He rolled his eyes. "If we were so terrible, they'd already be in therapy. Jenny, I'm not going to listen to you and a pity party."

"It is not a pity party. It's fact, Jethro."

"No," he said resolutely. "Fact is you get off course. You go off the road to get back onto it. If it's meant to happen, she'll find her way back to Tony. If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours."

Jenny lifted her head, looking at him strangely. "Jethro, did you spend too much time in the gift shop reading Hallmark cards while I was unconscious?"

"I can be philosophical."

She rolled her eyes and yawned softly. He looked down at her and kissed her head. "You need to rest."

"Haven't I done that enough?"

"Nope."

She stuck her lips out in a pout. "I'll only rest if you rest with me."

He allowed her to get comfortable and slipped into the hospital bed next to her. She snuggled into his chest. "You need to go back to work."

"Jenny, don't start."

"You'll be stir crazy by next week. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm staying here until you're well."

"Jethro, both of us shouldn't suffer while I'm stuck in here for however long."

He looked at his watch and smirked.

"What?" she questioned.

"Took you 75 hours since being awake to start an argument."

"Bastard," she mumbled.

He smiled and fluffed a pillow. "Go to sleep, Jen."

She continued mumbling under her breath until her eyelids became heavy, giving into sleep.

Outside, Lizzie paced and kept looking at the name in the address book of her phone. She calculated what time it would be in D.C. and decided to make the call. She opened the door of the Mercedes and sat down, cranking up then turning the radio off.

Tony let the phone ring. He knew he'd blown his engagement to hell, and he didn't know how to make things right. How could he? He wasn't upset over spilled milk. More than milk had been spilled. Gibbs telling him it wasn't his fault had helped but not enough. He refilled his glass with scotch.

Lizzie ended the call when it rolled over to voicemail. If he wouldn't answer the phone, she'd end the engagement in person. She was making plans for a flight to D.C. when Helen slipped into the passenger seat of the sedan. Helen snatched the phone from her ear and ended the call.

"We're going to have a talk."

"Grandma!"

"Elizabeth, what do you think you're doing?"

"The right thing."

"How is it right?"

"Grandma, I don't know."

"Elizabeth, if it was right, your answer wouldn't be that you don't know. You are not thinking clearly."

"I am!" She barely believed the words herself after hearing them aloud.

"Sweetheart, do you still love him?"

She was silent and looked the older redhead in the eyes, nodding her head. "I do."

"I know I wasn't warm to the idea of you getting engaged to Anthony. I didn't want you having the same life as your mother. Elizabeth, I've seen the way he looks at you and the way you look at him. You're happiest with him. Don't throw away happiness. Don't break your own heart. If you follow through, you'll be doing just that. No matter what you do I'll always love you."

"Why hasn't he returned my calls?"

"Sometimes we love a person so much we don't know how to handle ourselves especially after a tragedy. Elizabeth, think about it. Put yourself in his place. He feels like he failed at his job. He failed you, and he's thinking the worst. To him, avoidance may be the best medicine. You have to show him it's not. The greatest loves are tested. It's the way of the universe. If it's worth it, you work through it. Together. Honey, you may never find a love like this again."

Helen handed Elizabeth back her phone and took her wallet out of her purse, giving her a credit card. "Now, schedule a flight home and work through the issues." She kissed her cheek and got out of the car.


	31. Chapter 31

Jethro watched the redhead sleep against his chest. He'd almost lost her. As agents, their lives were meant to be put on the line every day. They shared the same sense of duty; it carried them day-to-day. He was a chauvinist. He'd rather see a man die or come close to death than a woman. It still felt like yesterday that he lost Special Agent Caitlin Todd. She would always be remembered for many reasons, but he hated one of those would be remembering her as the first female team member he'd ever lost in the line of duty. He sighed and held his wife tighter. He'd make sure to never let her go again.

Moments later, Jenny began to stir. She nuzzled her face into the crook of Jethro's neck with a groan.

"Jen?"

"Hurts."

Gibbs nodded his head. She had overdone it. He knew she had, but it wouldn't have done any good to say anything. He would have had better luck nailing water to a tree than telling her to take it easy.

Jenny's arm ached. Her whole body felt as if knives were being stabbed into her. She bit her lip while Jethro carefully searched the blankets around her. He found the morphine button and pressed.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He kissed her lips gently and left the bed to go to the bathroom. She let out a sigh of relief as the morphine dulled the pain, drifting into a drugged sleep.

In the bathroom, Jethro washed his hands and put cold water on his face. He stared into the mirror and shook his head. He had finished what Jenny had started, but he wished she had confided in him all those years ago. Jethro understood, and it wasn't a battle he was going to begin with her. If he'd been in her place, he would have done the same. He exited the bathroom and glanced at the hospital bed, noticing Jenny had fallen back into a deep sleep. He noticed Elizabeth and Helen outside the door talking and decided to see what the two were in deep conversation about.

"It was over $2000," Lizzie told her grandmother, eyes widening as her father stepped into the hallway.

"What was?" he asked.

Helen smiled at him. "A first class ticket from LAX to Reagan," she explained. The 72 year old was proud of herself.

Jethro rolled his eyes. He knew that look. Meddlesome grandmother was written all over it. He wondered if it was a genetic feature all Shepard females had. The four he knew shared the same expression when interfering. Of course, it would have been passed down from Helen.

"She'll be making amends in seven or eight hours."

Lizzie sighed. "You don't know how it'll go, Grandma."

"I have faith."

Lizzie looked at her father. "Is mom awake?"

"Asleep. You might be able to wake her."

"Might?" Lizzie asked in confusion.

Helen looked at her granddaughter. "Morphine."

"Oh." She nodded and slipped into the room, realizing her mother had put on a front earlier.

Jethro turned to his mother-in-law. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping, Jethro."

"You could be making it worse."

"Jethro, we have not fought in over a week. Let's not ruin it."

He raised an eyebrow, staring at her. Was Helen Shepard really standing in front of him? She refused to argue with him. Was his hearing failing him? Helen rarely stepped down from a fight.

She smirked. "You have to admit. It's been nice being the way we used to be before…"

Jethro shook his head. "Don't say his name. All your money couldn't save him, Helen."

"Jasper," she finished. "Back then, I was only trying to help, Jethro."

He sighed, nodding his head. She was right to a degree. With age and time, he could see it now though the matter was still a sore spot. The hospital stays, surgeries, treatments, travel, and other expenses took a toll on the Gibbs' finances. Helen swooped in with her checkbook which incensed Jethro. He was the provider of the family. The bills were his responsibility. Money had driven a wedge between the son-in-law and mother-in-law. Her refusal to accept repayment had merely deteriorated their relationship more over the years.

"I'm still trying to help."

He nodded again and leaned against the wall. Helen had expected him to be silent. She straightened her pearl necklace and smiled at Katie as she came towards them.

"Katharine," she said.

"Why am I taking Lizzie to LAX? She should be staying here."

Before Helen could answer, Jethro spoke to his oldest. "You'll take her with no complaints."

"Daddy," she started.

He gave her a firm Gibbs glare. She rolled her eyes at him. His glare became more unyielding. "Your sister needs to go back to D.C. for a few days to handle issues. She'd do it for you without a complaint. Not a word more, Katharine."

"Yes, sir," she answered. He rarely called her Katharine. If he did, he meant business.

Elizabeth came out of the hospital room and hugged her father. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

He hugged her tightly to him and whispered in her ear. "Take all the time you need."

She kissed his cheek and hugged her grandmother. "Thank you."

Helen shook her head. "Keep the credit card. Use it for whatever you need. Go get him, sweetheart."

Katie sighed and realized why her sister was going back home. She felt like a bitch with a side of moron. "C'mon, sis, you don't want to miss your flight."

The two left the hospital for the Los Angeles International Airport. While stuck in traffic, Katie turned the volume down on the radio and looked over at her sister. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, Katie."

"Are you giving the ring back?"

"I don't know!"

Her sister hit the steering wheel in frustration. How could she not know what she was going to do? "Elizabeth, he almost let OUR mother die! ALONE." She hadn't forgiven Tony like everyone else had.

"You don't think I know that?"

"Do you? You've been in your own little fucking world. Everyone's been tiptoeing around you. I'm sick of it!"

"No one's been tiptoeing, Katharine!"

"They have, even mom. She shouldn't have to! No one should! You should have seen her before she was awake. No, you ran. You need to learn how to stick to your guns."

Elizabeth stared at her sister. She said nothing more, turning her head and staring out the window. Katie rolled her eyes and turned up the radio. Finally, they arrived at LAX. Lizzie wanted Katie to drop her off and leave, but she didn't. Katie stayed with her sister until she had gone as far as she could go. She touched her shoulder to get her attention. Lizzie looked at her. "I think you've said enough to me."

Katie sighed and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry I've been a bitch, Lizzie. Do what you have to do. I love you."

"Don't apologize. I needed to accept the facts. I love you too," she said with a smile, walking away.

Soon, Elizabeth was in her first class seat and waiting for take off. On the seven-hour nonstop flight, she went through a dozen scenarios and speeches of what she would say to Anthony DiNozzo. She ran over the words of her grandmother, mother, and sister. Still, she wasn't sure. This rollercoaster of emotions needed to come to a stop.

As soon as Jenny was fully awake, she learned of what she'd missed from Katie. She asked her daughter for privacy. When Katie left, she grabbed Jethro' cell phone and dialed a number. She listened to it ring, praying the person would pick up.

"Boss?"

"Tony," she said.

"Ma'am. Jenny," Tony answered. Why was she calling him? When did she wake up? He shook his head. He should know the answers to those questions swirling in his mind.

"I apologize for what I did, Tony. It wasn't fair to you. It was not your fault. Do you understand?"

He swallowed hard. Hearing Jenny tell him it wasn't his fault was a horse of a different color compared to Gibbs telling him.

"I understand."

"I also want you to understand that my daughter needs you more than you need her. The greatest loves are tested. If it's worth it, you work through it. That's as far as I'm going to put my nose into your personal life. And DiNozzo, I expect a list of movies I should watch while I'm cooped up in this hospital." She ended the call.

Tony closed his phone and stared at it, mulling over Jenny's words. He sat down on his couch, putting his head in his hands. How much damage had he actually done? He Gibbs slapped himself and stood up. It was time to be a man and face what he'd done. Damage needed to be repaired. Tony was about to call the airport and book a flight to Los Angeles when he heard a knock at the door. He opened it.

"Liz."

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Sure."

She stepped into his apartment. Her eyes scanned over the room. There were empty liquor bottles scattered around. She took a deep breath.

"We need to talk."

"I know."

She turned to face him. "Have you been drinking?"

"No," he lied.

"You have! Were you drinking when you almost let my mother die, Tony?"

"No, Liz. NO. Ask Ziva. I wasn't. Neither one of us had been."

Her anger was slowly rising to the forefront. "I'll be sure to ask Ziva. She's called and asked about mom, so has McGee, Abby, and Ducky. You haven't called once! You've been sitting here by yourself DRUNK!" She ran her hands through her hair in frustration as she saw all the bottles and empty pizza boxes.

He said nothing. He stared down at the floor and listened to her. If she needed to yell, he deserved it. If she needed to punch him, he'd let her. He deserved whatever she dished out. Lizzie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Tony, I…I don't know what…to do. I don't want," she stopped herself, shaking her head. Why lie? After seeing how he'd been coping, she wasn't sure if she didn't want to lose him. He turned to a bottle instead of her.

Lizzie walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek softly. "I love you. I've loved you more than anyone." She stared at him with misty blue green eyes. Her left hand trembled over her right hand as she began to remove her engagement ring.

Tony looked down and put his hand over hers, shaking his head. "I won't let you."

"You've let me," Elizabeth whispered. She found the strength to remove the ring and put it into his hand, closing it tightly.

Anthony swallowed hard and watched her leave his apartment. She was walking out of his life. He opened his hand and stared at the ring. He'd thrown it all away. It was over.


	32. Chapter 32

What was he doing? He'd found something he never thought he'd find, a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Anthony DiNozzo wasn't commitment phobic anymore, but he'd allowed old habits to surface. _If it's worth it, you work through it. _Avril Elizabeth Gibbs was worth it. He clenched the ring in his fist and ran out of his apartment.

"Elizabeth," he called after her.

She was leaned against the entrance to the elevator, crying. As soon as Lizzie heard her name, she looked up and down the hall. She pressed the down button and hoped the doors would open before he reached her. No such luck.

He stopped in front of her, taking her by the arm to pull her away from the opening elevator doors. "I'm not letting you go."

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Tony, it's all wrong."

"Why? It's not wrong. We aren't wrong, Liz!"

"I'm too young. I'm not finished with school. I shouldn't be thinking about marriage! I want a different life. I don't want to worry every single day! I've had to worry my whole life! I shouldn't have to add one more person to that list! I want simple!"

"Nothing is ever simple."

"It's what I want," she choked out as she pressed the elevator button furiously.

Tony shook his head. "Lizzie, stop. Just stop!" He took her hand away from pressing the button.

She heaved a heavy sigh and looked at him.

"What do you want me to do, Liz?"

"I want to not love you so much! It hurts to think about sitting at home and wondering if you'll come home or worrying about when the phone rings and it's someone telling me you've been hurt or killed. I can't do it."

"It's my job, Elizabeth. It's what I do! If you couldn't handle it, why did you start it?"

"I wasn't planning on falling head over heels in love with you, Tony! I didn't know you'd be the one."

He felt as if all the blame was being put on him. He didn't make her fall in love with him. It had been a two way street. He listened to her choked sobs. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and comfort her. He reached for her, pulling her to him. Elizabeth used all of her strength and pounded on his chest.

"Don't! Don't try to make it better! You can't! I needed you! You weren't there!"

He let her fists pound him but didn't let her out of his grasp. She finally stopped, falling into his chest and weeping into it. "She could have died, Tony. She came close. So close. By the grace of God, she's still here. I can't…I can't go through that again."

Tony put his arms around her more and kissed her head. "Liz, I failed. I failed you. I failed Jenny. I failed Gibbs. I failed myself. I didn't know how to make it right. I still don't," he told her. "I thought I needed you more than you needed me. I was wrong. We need each other. I can't tell you what will happen today, tomorrow, or the next day."

She listened to him as she stayed in his arms, wiping at her eyes.

Tony continued. "I can't make any promises to you. All I know is I'm better with you. You're the only constant that I have. I'll do everything that I can every single day to make sure I come home to you. I'll wear two vests if I have to. I'll get McGee to go into places ahead of me. I mean, that's terrible…but Boss would hate to lose his senior field agent."

When he heard a muffled laugh, he smiled. He hated to be the reason for her tears. "Hey, show me those beautiful eyes I fell in love with the first time I saw you."

She lifted her head up and looked at him. He cupped her face, wiping away her stray tears with his thumbs. "Someone once told me the greatest loves are tested. If it's worth it, you work through it. We're worth it, Liz."

"Did you talk to my grandmother?"

He shook his head. "Your mother."

"Oh," Lizzie said gently.

"Before you came in, I was going to book a flight to Los Angeles to see you. Can you…let me make it up to you?"

She stared at him. How could he make it up to her?

Tony wondered what was going through that beautiful mind of hers. "Liz, everyone deserves a second chance."

She agreed with him about second chances. She thought of the talk her grandmother and mother had given her. Katie's harsh words lingered. What did her sister know? Katie had never had a serious relationship. Hit and runs didn't count. Lizzie decided to listen to the women she knew that had been and were successful in love. Maybe she and Tony would work through their problems and stay as married as long as her mother and father or as long as her grandmother and grandfather. She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. He nearly fell backwards from the force of her. She broke the kiss. "I'll let you. I don't want to let you go. I want us."

He brushed her bangs out of her eyes, cupping her face. "I'm sorry, Liz. You have no idea how much."

She put her hands on his wrists. "I know. I'm sorry for the doubts, the anger, and wanting to call it quits."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you so much."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and let the tears she'd been holding back spill onto her cheeks. She wasn't going to break her own heart or his heart.

He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Tony, let's get out of here."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Away."

He opened his eyes and looked into hers. "Where's away?"

"St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos, anywhere tropical…just me and you."

"Liz."

"What?"

"Should we go? What about Jenny?"

"Mom's doing great considering. I'll call her and Daddy on the way."

He nodded his head. "I have another concern."

"Which is?"

"Do you know how expensive a last minute flight to either of those places will be?"

Lizzie smiled at him and dug in her purse, retrieving a credit card. She flashed the black card at him with a wicked smile. "Grandma won't mind."

His eyes widened at the sight of the black American Express card. "I love Helen." He made the mental note that the senior Anthony DiNozzo never needed to meet Helen Shepard. Maybe this would be what they would need. To get away from everyone. To hide from the world. No cell phones, no computers, and no pressure. Just them.

She smiled at him and put the card back into her wallet. "I'll make the plans. You clean your place and pack. I'll go to mine and pack. We'll meet in three hours at Local 16. Rooftop."

"How An Affair to Remember of you, Liz."

"I've always loved a Cary Grant type."

Tony grinned. "I'll see you in three hours." He kissed her deeply. Once the kiss was broken, he watched her step into the elevator and went back to his apartment to clean and pack.

As she hailed a taxi, Lizzie speed dialed her father. He answered after a few rings.

"Yeah," he answered huskily, stretching his arm and feeling the needles and pins. He had to rescue it from being used as a pillow. Jenny had four pillows in her hospital bed, but somehow she found his arm more comfortable to use.

Jenny rolled her eyes at him. He should have said something if his arm was asleep. She leaned in to hear, rubbing her feet against Jethro's legs as she moved even closer to him.

Jethro frowned at her. Her toes were ice cold. "Lizzie, I'm going to put you on speaker." He held the phone in front of him, squinting to find the key. His wife smirked and pressed the button for him.

"Hi mom," Lizzie said with a laugh as her father grumbled.

"Well, how'd it go?" Jenny asked.

"Jen, she called me."

"If I had my phone, she would have called me, Jethro."

"Mom! Dad! Stop!"

Jenny poked her husband in his side and shushed him.

"Go ahead, Lizzie," he told her.

"I gave him the ring back."

"Oh, honey," Jenny said with sympathy. Her daughter needed her, and she was stuck in a hospital.

"He chased after me. We talked, and we're going to work it out. And we're going away for a while."

"To?" Gibbs asked.

"We haven't decided but somewhere tropical. I think Tony and I need to get away from everything and everyone."

Jenny smiled. She and Jethro had done that before. However, Jethro rarely preferred tropical getaways. He was more of a secluded cabin in the woods kind of guy.

"Is that okay considering everything?"

"Sweetheart, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. Wait, how are you paying for this, Elizabeth?"

Jethro smirked. "On Helen's dime." He didn't care if he was receiving an angry stare from his wife for taking pleasure in Helen receiving a large credit card bill.

"Yes," Elizabeth answered.

"Be careful, Lizzie. Don't elope," her father said.

Before Gibbs hung up, Jenny told her daughter that she loved her. She turned to Jethro. "You don't think they will…do you?"

He shrugged. "Jen, they're taking a spur of the moment vacation. They could get married."

"No." She resolutely shook her head. "No, Elizabeth would not elope."

"Jen," he said, turning his head to look at her. "Did you ever think we'd be getting DiNozzo for a son-in-law?"

"Jethro, do not go there. Do not use that as a way to tell me it's possible for Elizabeth and Tony to be eloping."

"If they do, we won't have to pay for it. Helen will."

Jenny slapped him on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"You deserved it." She settled herself against his chest and started the movie again. DiNozzo hadn't emailed her a list of movies to watch yet, but Jethro had bought one of her favorites. McLintock! was one of his favorites also. Jethro was a lot like John Wayne.

He kissed the top of Jenny's head and chuckled. He knew she was still wondering if the young couple would elope.

"Shut up and watch the movie, Jethro."

"I've seen it before."

"So have I." She looked up at him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He watched her put her head back on his chest and snuggle into him more. He glanced at the clock and pulled the blanket up to Jenny's shoulders. She laughed at the beginning of the mud brawl scene of the movie. Jethro knew to be quiet. It was her favorite part of the film. Personally, his favorite part was the ending. Over the years, he'd thought about throwing Jenny over his knee and giving her a whooping like John Wayne did to Maureen O'Hara. He mostly had that idea when Jenny's red headedness came out. He missed his favorite part. Both were asleep before the movie ended.

On the east coast and in separate cabs, Tony and Lizzie were on the way to Local 16 for a drink before their flight to Turks and Caicos. After receiving a text from Lizzie informing him they were clear to travel, Tony felt better about the trip. He was looking forward to getting away from the city. He hoped the patchwork would be easier without negative influences. He and Lizzie needed to discuss so much. Before Tony turned off his phone, he sent Jenny a long email filled with films to watch.

They arrived at Local 16 at the same time. Tony walked to his fiancée with a smile on his face. He took her hand and kissed it, causing her to blush.

"I missed you," Lizzie admitted.

"I was crazy to stay away from you." He pulled her to him and slipped his arm around her waist, entering the bar. She chose a table on the rooftop while he ordered the drinks, a coconut mojito for him and a spring sting for her.

Lizzie looked over the city and sighed softly. She was ready to be out of D.C. and in a warm, steamy location.

Tony approached the table and sat down, putting her drink in front of her. "One spring sting."

"No blueberry lemonade?"

"I thought we needed something different."

She noticed he didn't have his usual not your mommas margarita. "What's in it?"

"Vodka, triple sec, fruit juice, grenadine, and champagne."

Lizzie had a penchant for fruity drinks involving vodka. She raised her glass and held it up. "To new beginnings."

"And for facing whatever the future holds together," he finished, clinking his glass against hers. The two met for a quick kiss before sampling their beverages. Soon, the couple would be boarding a plane and arriving at their tropical destination.


	33. Chapter 33

While his daughter and future son-in-law frolicked in the Caribbean, Leroy Jethro Gibbs stayed in California with his wife. The longest he left her side was to get coffee. He was feeling claustrophobic from the flowers, cards, and other sentiments of well wishes in the room. It hadn't helped that the man hadn't picked up a piece of sand paper or seen unfinished wood in weeks. He missed his boat, his dog, and his work. Gibbs would keep quiet. Jenny had never left his side when he'd been injured. The team continued to check in with their two fearless leaders on a daily basis. Acting Director Vance would call in from time to time.

Jethro returned from a coffee run and smiled at Jenny. She waved at him since she couldn't speak. It was time for her respiratory therapy. He took a seat in the corner of the room and picked up a magazine, sipping his coffee and flipping through the pages.

When Jenny finished her therapy, she glanced over at her husband and waited for the nurse to leave. "You've got to be kidding."

"What?"

Her eyes were fixed on his choice of magazine, Bridal Guide.

"I might find something useful for Lizzie." He marked the page and put the publication away.

"Jethro, you hate weddings."

"Not all of them," he answered, getting up and walking to her. "I loved ours."

She looked up at him with a smirk on her lips. Of course, he'd say that if he wanted to stay in her good graces.

"Jen, I got an idea for your lung therapy."

"You do?"

He nodded his head, putting a knee on the bed and crawling towards her. She grinned at him as she scooted back. He smirked. It was useless for her to play hard to get. "Hi," he said as he rubbed his nose against hers.

"Hi yourself," she whispered, slipping her arms around his neck as he kissed her.

Jethro cursed under his breath when his phone began to ring and ignored it. As he felt her slender fingers slide down his body and to his belt, he thought she was feeling frisky. Jenny unsnapped his phone and flipped it open. He put his face into her good shoulder with a disappointed groan.

"It might be important."

"Jen, this is."

She shoved the phone at him. How much could they do in a hospital? Typical male. He'd gotten his hopes up. She rolled her eyes at him. He took it from her, grumbling and answering.

"What?"

Jenny covered her mouth as she laughed.

"Hey, Boss. Did I interrupt anything?"

Gibbs glared at Jen as she giggled. "You did. What is it?"

Tony cleared his throat. "Lizzie and I are going to stop by before we go back home."

"Is that it?"

"I think so."

He hung up the phone and looked at Jenny. "Where were we?"

"Who was it?"

"DiNozzo."

"And?"

"He and Lizzie are going to stop by before going home."

Jenny nodded her head, and Jethro realized the therapy session was over from the look on her face. He'd have to thank DiNozzo later. He watched Jenny scoot closer to him. She straightened his watch and bracelet.

"Jethro."

"No."

She sighed. "Yes."

"No, Jen."

"You should."

"I'm staying with you," he said defiantly.

"You've stayed with me long enough. You need to go back to work. The team needs you. Katie has gone back home. You need to also."

She would be stuck in California for two more months. There was no flying for weeks after a collapsed lung. Her therapy needed to be continued also. Jenny didn't see the point of everyone putting his or her lives on hold because of her. Her daughters had school and plenty of work to finish even though their professors had been lenient and understanding of the situation. Jethro had cases to solve. She couldn't see him staying in the same house with Helen either. There was no amount of square feet to prevent a world war happening if those two lived under the same roof for an extended amount of time.

"Is it what you really want?"

"No…what I really want is to be out of this hospital, back in D.C., in my home, running an agency, and back to normal."

"We can't have it all, Jen."

"I know, Jethro. I don't care if you fly out here every weekend or every other weekend, but one of us has to be normal. Please, go back to work. For me."

He stared at her and nodded his head. He leaned in, kissing her forehead and lingering. "Alright."

By the end of the week, she was released from the hospital and settled into her mother's Mediterranean styled Bel Air estate. She was not looking forward to being mothered by Helen. The woman could be overbearing and suffocating, but she loved her only daughter unconditionally. Maybe solitude could be found in the over 7,000 square foot home. Jenny never understood why her mother purchased such a large home. Gibbs couldn't wrap his mind around a house needing ten bathrooms.

He knocked one time before entering the bedroom and handed Jenny a mug of honeybush vanilla herbal tea.

"Is she still mad?" Jenny asked as she took the cup.

"Uh huh," he replied, making a face as she took a drink. He didn't know how she drank tea, especially those crazy herbal infusions.

"She'll get over it. I'm perfectly fine here." Jenny had chosen the rarely used separate hotel style guest apartment.

"Yeah. Separate from her."

"That wasn't," she stopped, noticing his look. "Okay, that's partially the reason. The French doors lead out to the garden with the fireplace. I can read, Jethro. And swim. Reading and swimming and sitting around. Trust me, I'll have plenty of quality time with my mother." Jenny set her cup onto the bedside table.

He sat down on the bed and pulled his wife into his lap. "Jen, I don't have to leave."

She ran her fingers through his silver hair. "I know you don't. Jethro, there's no reason for both of us to be unhappy. Besides, I've survived a standoff. I don't think I could survive living with you and my mother."

Jethro smirked. He knew she was right. He hadn't told her he'd walked through the Bel Air Crest community. It was secure thanks to being gated. Helen had gone through the security system with him. To double check, Gibbs had called McGee and asked the tech savvy agent questions about the system. McGee had been impressed. Helen Shepard didn't cut corners on having the best of the best. She never did anything halfway.

When she removed herself from his lap, he popped her bottom. "How much time do we got before Lizzie and Tony get here?"

"A few hours."

He nodded and walked to the French doors, opening them. She watched him walk outside and start a fire in the fireplace. Jenny shrugged her shoulders and continued to unpack. Katie had received a long list from her mother and shipped it to her. She was more and more curious as Jethro came in and out of the house. When she finished, she walked outside and smiled at him.

He had moved the outdoor sofa in front of the fireplace and had brought out the fixings for s'mores. She quickly walked to him.

"Did you remember the raspberries?"

Jethro held up the package of fresh raspberries. She groaned in delight as she sat down and took her shoes off. He laughed at her, shaking his head. It didn't take much to make her happy sometimes.

"You know, raspberry s'mores are better in the oven."

He looked at her. "Jen, I can improvise."

"Okay," she answered with a lack of confidence. If she was in charge, she would break the graham crackers in half, put them on a cookie sheet, and arrange marshmallow halves on top of each square. They would be put into the oven to broil for a minute, and the chocolate bars would be broken into pieces. Chocolate and raspberries arranged on the other cracker halves. The marshmallow topped crackers, chocolate, and raspberries would be gently pressed together to create the gooey goodness she loved so much. She opened the package of raspberries and began eating them, watching Jethro with interest. He had a different way of operating than she did.

"Hey, we aren't gonna have any left if you keep eating them."

Jenny smirked at him and closed the package, nestling into his side while he made the treats. The two enjoyed the company of each other for hours until Helen interrupted.

"I'm leaving for the airport," she told them.

"We'll be here," Jethro replied.

Jenny shook her head at him, removing herself from his arms. She walked over to her mother. "I love you," she said, kissing her cheek.

Helen smiled. "I love you too." She caressed her daughter's face before leaving.

She turned around to Jethro with a wicked grin and hint of playful in those green eyes. "I think I'll go for a swim."

"Okay."

As she walked to the pool, articles of clothing began to fall away. Jenny looked over her bare shoulder to her husband. "Coming, Jethro?"

He stared, momentarily taken aback by her. He followed after her to the pool. She hadn't lost her sense of adventure. He wasn't certain of how adventurous they could get considering she was still recovering, but he knew her body. The man wasn't known for a gentle touch, but he had one when it came to certain ministrations.

A late afternoon skinny dip was what she needed. She'd missed skin-to-skin contact with her husband. He put his hands on her waist carefully and kissed the healed smooth skin of the bullet wound to her shoulder. He trailed down, kissing the place on her arm. Her breath hitched when his thumb grazed over the area of her abdomen. As he took care of her healed wounds, she felt self-conscious.

"Jethro."

He looked into her eyes, putting his index finger over her lips. "Still beautiful."

"Thank you." She nipped at his finger, giggling when he pulled it away. She slid her legs around his waist and kissed him. The two cautiously and gently disobeyed doctor's orders.

Jethro didn't want to move from his spot on the chaise lounge. He had his wife in his arms, sleeping on his chest after playtime in the pool. He smirked as he toyed with the thought of telling Helen the pool would need to be cleaned. Jenny would kill him if he did. He twirled her red locks around his finger and watched her dream. It was safe to say he wanted to freeze time. He didn't want to go back home without her. On Sunday, he'd be getting on a plane to D.C. with Elizabeth and Tony. From experience, he knew the day would approach all too quickly. It did.

Sunday came and goodbyes were made. He had taken the latest flight he could. Jethro wanted to spend as much time with Jenny as possible, and he didn't want to share a flight with the lovebirds. Jenny was a phone call away, and he'd be back in California within two weeks. It wasn't enough; he wanted his wife home with him.

He stepped into the townhouse and dropped his bags in the foyer. The house was quiet. Too quiet. Jethro flipped on a light and stared into the study. He hadn't been in the house since the night he took care of Jenny's loose ends. He walked to the doorway of the study and leaned against the doorframe.

_After receiving a phone call on the phone he'd taken from evidence, he readied himself. She was coming to him. He was calm as he poured a tumbler of bourbon. Gibbs heard her heels on the hardwood floor. _

"_Hello, Natasha," he said, putting the decanter down. His sidearm was on the desk. "Or do you prefer Svetlana?" He turned to look at her._

_The blonde Russian, Svetlana Chernitskaya, stood in the middle of the study with a gun pointed at him. _

"_Not business. This is personal," he continued to speak._

"_It was you who killed Alatoly."_

"_What was he to you?" Jethro asked as he watched her features. _

"_Everything," she answered, bottom lip quivering. She held the revolver firmly in her hand._

"_Why now?"_

"_Because it took me until now to find you."_

"_The night he died a woman came to kill you. What happened?"_

"_She couldn't do it." She smiled._

_Jethro glanced to his Sig Sauer on the desk. He knew why Jenny couldn't make the kill. He had rehashed the dates in his mind. The kill had not been made out of weakness. It had been done out of humanity._

_Svetlana knew there was no way for him to reach for the weapon. She had the advantage. He would be dead if he took a step towards it._

_He nodded to the gun. "Can you?"_

_She confidently cocked the revolver. Jethro waited for the shot to be fired. _

_A gunshot came from behind. The Russian cried out and fell onto the ottoman. Gibbs looked to Mike Franks standing in the doorway of the house. The older man walked into the study._

"_You were gonna go for that. Weren't you, Probie?"_

_He stared at his mentor for a few moments before taking the revolver out of Svetlana's hand and checking her pulse. She was dead. He unloaded the gun and took his sidearm off the desk, putting it back into the holster on his hip._

Jethro shook himself out of his thoughts. He still didn't know what Mike had done with the body. He didn't want to know. The mess had been cleaned up and off the books like everyone wanted. Gibbs took a deep breath and walked over to the light switch, flipping it off. He couldn't stay in the house. It wasn't home without Jenny. Tonight, he'd sleep in the hull of his boat and with a bottle of bourbon for comfort.


	34. Chapter 34

The team knew when Gibbs hadn't seen his wife and knew the weekends when he was going to fly to California to see her. His moods were on highs and lows. The worst of the lows was the in between of seeing her. DiNozzo understood and let himself take the wrath of Gibbs' temper. He couldn't imagine being separated from Lizzie. The time away for them had been what they had needed. Like everyone else, Tony had been counting down the days until Director Shepard's return. He knew there was no way in hell Jenny would miss her girls' graduation from Georgetown University, and the weekend was quickly approaching. He saved the case report and printed it, glancing around the room. Gibbs was sitting at his desk, staring at him and sipping Jamaican blend. The older agent motioned with his head to the elevator.

"McLiterary, proofread my case report."

McGee rolled his eyes but nodded his head. Where did Tony come up with the nicknames? He shook his head and took the report. Much to Ziva's dismay, he hadn't been surprised or offended by the news of Tony and Lizzie's engagement. Tony had changed for the better in his opinion. He watched Gibbs and DiNozzo walk into the elevator.

Gibbs said nothing and stalled the elevator by hitting the emergency switch. He turned and looked at Tony. "Jen's coming home."

"I didn't think she'd miss graduation."

He looked down to the ground, smiling. "Nope. I think she threatened the doctor into giving her full clearance."

Tony laughed. He wouldn't doubt it if she had. Since getting an apartment with Elizabeth, he had overheard many of Jenny's gripes about being grounded when the two were on video chat.

Gibbs took a drink of his coffee. "I'm taking you with me to get her. SecNav is lending us the jet. Ducky's going too. Leaving tomorrow."

The very special agent nodded his head. Was he ready to protect the Director again? The last time he was on her protection detail had caused a medical leave of three months. He leaned against the wall of the elevator.

"Don't second guess yourself, Tony." He flipped the switch and waited for the doors to open.

Tony blew out his breath and pushed himself away from the wall. He rubbed his face and walked into the squad room, sitting down at his desk. The rest of the day seemed to drag on, but he didn't hesitate when Gibbs dismissed them. He had never been happier to see Connecticut Avenue. Tony needed to talk to Lizzie.

She didn't hear him enter the foyer of the apartment. The coffee table was covered in color swatches, and she was in deep concentration as she rested her glass of cabernet sauvignon against her cheek. The aroma of lasagna baking in the kitchen hit Tony's nostrils. He watched her for a few moments as Etta James' _At Last_ played in the background. Lizzie's hair was in a messy bun. She had ditched her sandals but was still in the navy color block tank dress chosen this morning. When he heard the timer, he knew he was caught. She put her wine down and met his eyes.

"How long have you been there?"

He smiled at her as she walked towards him. "Long enough."

Elizabeth slipped her arms around his waist and stole a kiss. She could tell something was bothering him. "How was work?" she asked, walking into the kitchen and opening the oven.

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "The usual."

She put the dish onto the counter and slipped the mitts off, waiting for him to continue. Clearly, he wasn't ready. "I can guess." She opened the fridge, taking out the head of lettuce.

Tony walked over and handed her a knife as she washed the lettuce. "You annoyed McGee."

He nodded. "That's every day, Liz."

She smirked and started chopping the lettuce. Tony kissed her shoulder. "You could make the salad," she said to him.

"I like supervising."

"I'll supervise when you do the dishes."

"Liz," he groaned.

"You know the rules. Whoever cooks doesn't do the dishes or clean the kitchen. I cooked."

He slid his hand down and pinched her bottom.

She laughed. "Hey, I do have a knife in my hand. Back to guessing…"

Tony took the knife out of her hand and scooted her out of the way. He'd finish making the salad. Lizzie removed two plates from the cupboard and poured him a glass of wine.

"Daddy wants you to go with him tomorrow."

He took a large swallow of wine and nodded his head. "He does. Liz, I don't know if I'm—"

Elizabeth shook her head. "You're ready. Daddy wants you with him. Mom wants you there too."

"Did your mother have to convince your father I should be there?"

"No, Tony. He's giving you a second chance."

"He shouldn't be having to give me one! I should have done it right the first time."

Lizzie sighed heavily and stepped closer to him. "You can't change what happened. How many times have I told you that?"

"Liz, a million times."

"In a way, it needed to happen. It's made every one of us closer. The only one still beating you up about it is _you_."

He stared into her eyes, nodding his head.

"Take the second chance. Prove it to him. Don't do it for anyone but you."

"You're right."

"Usually am," she replied.

Tony cracked a smile and kissed her softly, telling her he loved her. Since moving in together, he'd learned that she was right most of the time. The couple finished making dinner and sat down to eat. After washing dishes and sitting down on the couch for a movie, Tony noticed the clutter on the coffee table.

"Liz, what's all this?"

"Possible wedding colors."

As he looked at the various swatches, he felt intimidated. His fiancée laughed softly and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I've narrowed it down."

"Okay," he said apprehensively.

"Options are rose, dusk, and smoke." She put those three options together then arranged the other choices. "Or eggplant and dusty rose." Liz glanced at Tony.

"I like both."

"I know. That's my problem. Also, violet, fuchsia, and vanilla."

"Wouldn't it be easier to get married naked in a solid white room?"

Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head. "No, silly." She kissed him.

"We have time to decide," Tony admitted honestly, pulling her against him.

They had chosen a June date two years ahead. Lizzie wanted to be finished with school. She had been accepted to the Maryland Institute College of Art. Finally, she was going to be where she had wanted to be all along. The only reason she'd earned a degree from Georgetown University was to please her alumna mother.

"With my mother and grandmother?" She wanted to have ideas before Helen came in like a blitzkrieg.

"I see your point, but it can wait. There are more pressing matters tonight."

"Such as?" Lizzie asked, glancing up at him. A smirk graced her features. "Oh, slipping into something more comfortable…like me?"

Tony nodded his head. He stood up and lifted her off the couch, throwing her over his shoulder. Lizzie giggled as she was carried into the bedroom. Tony learned there were many perks to living together. He'd attempted to explain the bedroom benefits to McGee until Gibbs head smacked him. His skull ached for a week.

Hours later, they were on the way to California. Gibbs was particularly in a foul mood. His morning had started off with a phone call from Jenny informing him his mother-in-law would be hijacking the Gulfstream.

"Jethro, I can be charming," Ducky said after fifteen minutes of hearing the agent's grumblings.

"What?" Jethro snapped.

"I can be charming," the medical examiner emphasized. "With Helen."

"You do that, Duck."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs barked.

"Yeah, boss?" He answered with a twizzler hanging out of his mouth.

"Is the surprise party still happening?"

"Boss!" Tony winced as he was hit with the twizzler Gibbs was stealing from him. He was almost met with a glare. "Yeah, it's still happening. Plan hasn't changed."

Ducky shook his head as he watched the exchange. He was grateful to see Jethro in a lighter mood. He'd never tell either of them that DiNozzo reminded him of Gibbs when he was younger. Ducky couldn't wait to see Jenny. He hoped his medical knowledge wouldn't be needed on the flight, but one could never be too careful when dealing with a previously collapsed lung. The trio kept themselves amused for the rest of the flight.

Jenny met the boys with hugs and kisses on the cheek except for Jethro. He received more than a kiss on the cheek. Tony thought his future mother-in-law looked amazing. She had a California tan and looked relaxed.

"Going to continue with yoga?" he asked. He knew she'd been taking yoga classes with Helen.

"No. I never want to see a yoga mat ever again. I did not want to learn all the positions my 72-year-old mother can do. She's more flexible than I am. It's," Jenny stopped, realizing she'd said too much.

Gibbs and DiNozzo looked at each other and looked at Helen Shepard as she approached. The two men looked at each other a second time. "Don't," Gibbs said harshly.

"Too late. Images burned."

Jenny laughed. "Good. I shouldn't be the only one to suffer."

Jethro glared at his wife, and she patted him on the cheek. "You'll live," she promised with a smile.

"Won't," he grumbled.

"Jethro," Helen spoke cheerily. "You should take up yoga. It wouldn't kill you to be more zen."

DiNozzo snickered and received the characteristic Gibbs glare. The older agent looked to Ducky. The Scottish medical examiner remembered his role and walked over, taking Helen's arm.

"You look lovelier with each year, my dear."

"Donald." Helen blushed as Jethro grinned, watching the two walk to the plane.

Jenny rolled her eyes at her husband. "Is that why you brought Ducky?"

"Nah. You needed a doctor on the flight."

She shook her head, knowing he wouldn't admit he needed a buffer. Surprisingly, Helen was undemanding on the flight. Ducky kept the elder Shepard entertained with stories from his youth. He was hopeful to secure a dinner date with the redhead, but he didn't want them to end up in bed like they had years ago. It was during a vulnerable time for Helen.

Gibbs watched the two with a raised brow. The eyebrow rose higher when Helen leaned into his old friend's chest as she laughed at a joke. Jenny wincing in pain broke him out of his mother-in-law watching.

Jen looked at him and Tony as she eased back into her seat, removing her hand from the middle of her chest. "I'm fine. I was told it would be normal."

"Will it happen every time you fly?" Tony asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it's from adjusting to the altitude. It'll have to be normal."

"Normal? Jen, being in pain every day isn't normal," Jethro spoke.

She rolled her eyes at her husband. He had suffered injuries that bothered him still. "Jethro, I'll remind you next time you complain about your knee or your –" A finger being put over her lips silenced her. Jenny smirked. He hated being reminded about that Positano injury.

Gibbs mumbled and slipped his arm around her, kissing the side of her head. He hoped Katie and Lizzie's graduation weekend wouldn't be too much for her. She planned on returning to work on Monday. Jethro watched her intently as her green eyes closed.

"Stop thinking it'll be too much, Jethro," Jenny mumbled, needing a nap. Her mother had kept her up into the wee hours of the morning. Helen had expressed her opinions about the wedding, graduation, plans after graduation, and plans for the weekend.

Tony snickered to himself. It never ceased to amaze him how Jenny could read Gibbs' thoughts or how Gibbs could read hers. If Lizzie learned to read him that way, he'd be in trouble. "Ow!" He shrieked as he felt Gibbs' boot to his shin.

"And stop abusing your son-in-law."

"He's not yet," Jethro grumbled.

Jenny laughed and shook her head. She dozed off, wondering if her girls had a surprise party planned for her return home. There was something she was sure of; she knew her girls were impatiently waiting for her to walk through the door of the Georgetown home.


End file.
